Newcastle's coach, Justin Holbrook, has voiced strong support for skipper Kalyn Ponga, recognizing his dedication to the Knights, even though the standout fullback's unusual kicking performance led to a narrow loss against Cronulla.
The Knights faced a 20-18 defeat to the Sharks on a rainy Friday night, despite managing to score more tries than their opponents, four to three.
Holbrook, known for his philosophical outlook, emphasized Ponga's recent contributions, noting his significant impact for both the Maroons and Newcastle during their consecutive defeats.
"We've got a really good footy side here and poor Kalyn - that's three games in nine days. That's a lot to ask of anybody, let alone your best player," Holbrook remarked.
"For him to get himself up to play tonight and for us to come here and outscore them, you're probably unlucky to win the game. I thought we did enough. It's hard to swallow because we expect a lot of the team now."