The 24-year-old marquee playmaker was dragged from the sphere by the unbiased physician with 11 minutes left within the sport because the rating sat 14-12 to the hosts.
Ponga collided with Warriors prop Addin Fonua-Blake however was clearly stunned when referee Chris Sutton gave him his marching orders.
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Talking within the post-match press convention, Ponga defined he is aware of what it feels prefer to be knocked out, having suffered three nasty head knocks in six weeks earlier than being dominated out in 2022.
“It will likely be fascinating to see their tackle it, I’ve been knocked out earlier than and positively wasn’t in any state,” Ponga mentioned.
“I couldn’t consider it, 10 minutes to go, sport on the road, I’m actually positive, I believe there’s an evaluation that usually goes on however I acquired taken off by an unbiased physician.
“It caught me without warning, I mentioned to the ref ‘I’m not going off’, but it surely’s not his name, it’s somebody in a field.”
Ponga was additionally confused why he wasn’t in a position to full a head knock evaluation with a membership physician on the sphere.
“I did it within the tunnel however it’s a ten minute course of, however there’s often a course of on the sphere the place they examine your steadiness,” Ponga mentioned.
“However that wasn’t the case as a result of it was an unbiased physician in a field someplace, got here straight off.”
Nonetheless, head coach Adam O’Brien defined the unbiased physician dominated the knock a Class Two blow, which means Ponga wasn’t allowed to be checked on the sphere.
O’Brien was additionally clearly pissed off he misplaced his key playmaker in an important second and mentioned the Bunker was “leaping at shadows to get him out of the sport” in a remark that could possibly be seen as a suggestion of a conspiracy towards Ponga.
“There was a minute to go, so it dominated him out of the sport,” O’Brien mentioned.
“However he was unaware of any incident, like he mentioned, he is aware of what they really feel like.
“And we’ve labored actually exhausting, he has to get himself again within the sport and now we’re leaping at shadows to get him out of the sport, I don’t get it.”
Regardless of dropping their opening conflict of the season, O’Brien was comfortable his aspect have been in a position to keep within the sport and overcome adversity with Tyson Frizell failing a HIA within the first half.
“I used to be actually proud with the trouble defensively, we needed to overcome some stuff tonight, we misplaced Frizell early, Phoenix acquired put within the bin,” O’Brien mentioned.
“We defended with 12 males, then Kurt will get taken off the again of the useless ball line, and we’re all the way down to 12 once more, after which they take him off.
“We had a bit to get via… I’m actually pleased with the character of the group.”
Elsewhere Warriors coach Andrew Webster was comfortable to see the again of the marquee gun.
“I wasn’t upset to see Ponga go off, however I don’t know if it was proper or a foul name,” Webster mentioned.
“He’s clearly an awesome participant.”
Initially revealed as ‘Leaping at shadows’: Knights trace at Kalyn Ponga conspiracy after head knock drama
