LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga has admitted that he was tired of letting people down after facing multiple setbacks in the NRL.
These setbacks led to his exceptional performance towards the end of the season, ultimately securing him his first Dally M award.
Ponga made a strong comeback in the Dally M race, accumulating 56 points in the final round of voting, leaving Shaun Johnson devastated with his second-place finish on 55 points.
During his acceptance speech, Ponga appeared sheepish on stage but expressed his gratitude towards his family, staff, and teammates.
He acknowledged that their support, love, and belief in him were crucial in his success this year.
Ponga revealed that his motivation to turn his form around stemmed from a difficult period in his life.
"It's a crazy feeling, I feel humbled and very lucky," Ponga said.
"I had an early-season holiday and when I was over there I decided I wanted to stop letting people down, and yeah, what a year."
Despite the brevity of Ponga's speech, it carried significant weight.
Earlier in the season, the talented fullback suffered a fourth concussion in 10 months during a match against the Tigers, raising concerns throughout the NRL.
This prompted Ponga to seek professional advice in Canada in order to protect his career and future.