Firstly, he skipped round opposing playmaker Tanah Boyd and drew the fullback to place Bradman Greatest over within the nook to place Newcastle up 22-18.

A couple of minutes later, Ponga did all of it himself, splitting the defence from inside his personal half and this time fooling the Gold Coast No.1, Jayden Campbell, for a 10-point benefit.

Earlier, he had arrange a vital attempt on the stroke of half-time, serving up a wonderfully positioned grubber for Tyson Frizell.

Whereas a few of his teammates loved some relaxation and leisure through the bye week, Ponga stayed put to work on his health.

He mentioned it was necessary for the gamers who had been part of the opening 9 rounds to have a break however as a result of he missed six weeks as a result of a concussion, he “targeted on my health and my defence”.

“All the pieces stems off that. Not solely personally however as a crew as effectively,” he mentioned.

Ponga added he was thrilled to thrill the house followers after “the final seven or eight months, it hasn’t been all sunshine and roses” however wished to get again to the constant excellence he was delivering a few years in the past.

“I’m nonetheless studying the place of six. I do know that is going to be a studying course of. Right now I simply targeted on taking part in my recreation, what makes me tick. The place I wish to be, that type of factor.”

Dominic Younger catches a kick on his method to rating. (Picture by Mark Kolbe/Getty Photos)

O’Brien has not been pleased with a few of the criticism that has been thrown up about Ponga’s positional swap from fullback in 2023.

“I assumed when he hit the go button for us within the second half he confirmed he’s elite, as I mentioned initially of this. It’s method too untimely for individuals to remark given the pattern dimension this yr,” O’Brien mentioned. “He is aware of he’s set to work laborious once more subsequent week and replicate it.”

Maroons coach Billy Slater has been non-committal about who will line up at fullback when he begins their defence of the Origin protect at Adelaide on Could 31.

Primarily based on his Spherical 11 type and his excellent efforts for Queensland final yr, Ponga now appears all however sure to carry off the challenges of Brisbane’s Reece Walsh and Dolphins speedster Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.

“It’s a prestigious honour to characterize Queensland,” Ponga mentioned. “I can’t fear about Queensland or picks or something like that. I’ve acquired to fret about my performances (for Newcastle).”

Knights not so rusty

Canterbury common supervisor Phil Gould led the criticism of the Knights for permitting the gamers to go on holidays throughout their bye, which coincided with Magic Spherical.

O’Brien is wise sufficient to know he received’t be getting an apology from Gould however the coach ought to really feel vindicated after the Knights put of their finest efficiency of what has been an up-and-down season.

“It was so blown out of proportion. It was one participant who went to Bali. It’s nobody’s enterprise actually. There’s numerous commentary, I get that,” he mentioned earlier than including that they opened themselves up for criticism by the way in which they performed within the loss to Parra.

Gold Coast have been the marginally higher crew within the first half which completed all sq. at 12-12 after Dominic Younger opened the scoring with a excessive leap, the Titans went in entrance through David Fifita and Phil Sami earlier than Frizell enhanced his hopes of a NSW Origin recall by sprinting onto Ponga’s grubber simply earlier than the break.

Even when Campbell touched down first within the second half, the Titans by no means put their stamp on proceedings and a Greg Marzhew attempt reduce the hole to 2 for the Knights earlier than Ponga’s double strike of brilliance swung the momentum for good.

Dane Gagai and Greatest helped maintain the guests at bay within the last quarter regardless of a second Fifita attempt.

Rookie winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira added a comfort attempt within the closing levels however that was cancelled out by Younger’s length-of-the-field intercept on the stroke of full-time.