LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
Kalyn Ponga's position as Queensland State of Origin fullback seems secure after Reece Walsh and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow's subpar performances during the weekend.
Former NRL player Denan Kemp had previously suggested that Maroons coach Billy Slater should consider replacing Ponga for Origin Game 3, citing Ponga's poor stats of four missed tackles, two costly errors, and only 77 metres gained in Game 2.
Although Queensland won Game 2, Kemp insisted the team couldn't afford a fullback making such mistakes.
Whether Ponga took the criticism to heart is uncertain, but he bounced back with an impressive performance for the Knights, helping them secure a 26-20 victory over the Dolphins.
He achieved two try-assists, five tackle breaks, and ran for 179 metres, showing a level of play that had been missing in previous weeks.
Notably, Ponga didn't commit any errors and only missed one tackle.
Meanwhile, Walsh and Tabuai-Fidow, who were seen as potential replacements for Ponga, struggled to bolster their claims.
Tabuai-Fidow, in particular, faced a glaring mishap in the final moments of the match against the Knights, failing to contest a bomb and inadvertently kicking it back to the Knights, leading to Brodie Jones scoring the match-winning try.
Although he did manage to score a try himself and ran for 237 metres, the significant mistake likely did not impress Slater.
In summary, Ponga rebounded strongly from criticism while Walsh and Tabuai-Fidow's errors reaffirmed his role as Queensland's fullback for the upcoming decider.