Details have been revealed of Kalyn Ponga’s Newcastle contract, with the fullback having several options in his favour for the 2023 season and beyond.
Reports suggest Ponga’s deal with the Knights is worth well in excess of a million dollars per season until 2024 if he decides to stay.
Despite this, Sports Confidential has now revealed that Ponga could decide to leave as early as June, with three key clauses in his contract giving him an out if he wants to move on.
Joining SEN 1170 Breakfast, Michelle Bishop explained how exactly the superstar can opt out in a few months’ time.
“I’m definitely getting either, Kalyn Ponga, his dad or his legal team or whoever put this contract together to do my next contract,” Bishop said.
“It is an absolute clause-a-thon, it’s very confusing, it’s been revealed that Kalyn Ponga has seven months to decide on his future with the club.
“One particular clause we need to highlight is that on June 1 he has to activate a clause in his contract to leave the Knights at the end of next season, that’s the end of 2022. We’re all good for 2022 with him, we’re locked in there.
“He also has a clause that allows him to leave the club if they win a Grand Final … if they win a Grand Final in 2022 he can leave the club. He has to inform the Knights within a month (of the win) if he intends to do that.
“The final clause is the freedom to depart at the end of 2022 if Newcastle fall short of a premiership, so effectively, even if he decides to stay when he has to on June 1, if the Knights fall short of the premiership in 2022 he’s free to leave anyway.
“It’s very confusing, it’s all based in support of Kalyn Ponga and it’s music to the ears of rival clubs particularly The Dolphins.”
Ponga, a Queenslander, would be right at the top of the start-up club’s wish-list if he were to become available on the open market.
If he does choose to leave at the end of the 2022 season and move to Wayne Bennett’s side he’d be ready to suit up in the club’s first NRL game in Round 1, 2023.