LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
Denan Kemp, a former NRL player, has raised concerns about Kalyn Ponga's performance and whether he should be dropped for State of Origin 3.
Ponga, who has not significantly impacted the series or his club, Newcastle, has struggled in both games.
In Game 1, he had 21 runs for 163 metres, but in Game 2, he only managed eight runs for 77 metres, highlighting his decline in form.
Despite Queensland's 26-24 win, which secured a decider, Ponga's performance drew criticism.
He missed four tackles and made two errors, particularly failing to secure high balls.
His key miss on Brian To'o contributed to one of New South Wales' tries, and he was also caught out of position during a crucial moment involving Angus Crichton.
Although a disallowed try saved him from further scrutiny after a missed tackle on Nathan Cleary, the overall assessment of his play was poor.
Kemp discussed this on the 'Bloke in a Bar' podcast, suggesting that coach Billy Slater may consider replacing Ponga for the next game.
"He dropped three bombs.
He got bounced off by Cleary and got lucky there was an obstruction," Kemp stated.
He added that Slater needs to evaluate Ponga's form closely: "I think KP (Ponga) is just out of form.
It's tough but if you've got that many errors, it's just a real question we (Queensland) have to ask ourselves."
Kemp argued for the necessity of a player who can contribute effectively around the ruck, ensure successful catches, and make tackles, emphasizing the importance of avoiding excessive errors in the upcoming decisive match.
"We can't afford to go into Game 3 and have that many dropped balls.
We'll lose by 30-plus," he warned.
As pressure mounts on Ponga, the Queensland coaching staff has a critical decision to make ahead of the final game, weighing Ponga's past contributions against his recent struggles and the team's need for form and stability.