football manager – Michmutters
Categories
Sports

Kalyn Ponga kicked out of toilet cubicle, video, Newcastle Knights, investigation, Kurt Mann

Knights superstar Kalyn Ponga looks set to be stripped of the captaincy after a video emerged of him being kicked out of a toilet cubicle with teammate Kurt Mann.

The video came to light on Monday morning, sparking Ponga’s dad, Andre to claim the 24-year-old was “sick in the toilet and his mate went in to help him” while out celebrating “an exciting house purchase.”

Although, Fox League’s James Hooper suggested that wasn’t the real story, telling NRL 360: “You might have to get Pinocchio out again, we aren’t believing that fairytale are we?”

Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Newly signed football manager Peter Parr will front the media on Tuesday and News Corp Journalist Phil Rothfield believes it could be the end of Ponga’s reign as captain.

“I think it’s a really, really bad look and I know the Knights are really concerned about the PR side of it and the culture side of it,” he told NRL 360.

“Do you know how serious I think it is, I think he will be stripped of the captaincy over this.”

Ponga was announced as co-captain alongside Jayden Brailey in February, however with the latter missing for a lot of the season Ponga carried the responsibility himself for the first 16 rounds.

Hooper agreed that “it’s a bad scene” and urged the Knights to come down hard on Ponga given prop David Klemmer was stood down for an on-field incident involving a trainer.

“If he’s had concussions, commonsense tells you he should be (on an alcohol ban), certainly Kurt Mann (who is injured) is supposed to be on an alcohol ban,” he said.

Put asked to leave toilet cubicle | 00:16

“They tore strips off David Klemmer for swearing at a trainer on the field, I’d argue that this is far more detrimental in terms of negative headlines for the club and if they’re fair dinkum they’ll read the Riot Act tomorrow morning , Peter Parr will front the media and he will say ‘enough is enough, this is the line in the sand moment, we’re not going to tolerate this sort of jibber anymore.’

“Off the back of that I think both of them are going to have to be issued breach notices and fines. Because if they’re going to breach David Klemmer and fine him for something that was trivial on the field with a trainer, you can’t cop this.”

MORE NRL NEWS

TEAM TIPS: Souths rocked by Latrell training blow as Panthers set for big boost

TALKING PTS: Bellamy’s ‘devastating’ switch; rising star Kevvie MUST not lose

HOOPS: Ciraldo’s secret meeting with $500m pub baron that helped seal Dogs deal

‘HE’S A DOLPHIN’: Why Bennett may have pulled off $6m Munster coup

However Paul Kent fears stripping the captaincy could have the opposite effect and believes the club should “demand” Put “lifts his standards.”

“I would say to him ‘you’re the only guy at this club that can lead us out of trouble and we’ve paid you the money you deserve, you’re a senior player and an Origin start…’ and I would oblige him to start leading them out of the woods,” he said.

“If you’re going to spend that money on a player you’ve got to get a return out of him. The way to get the best out of Kalyn is not to banish him, not to sack him from the captaincy.

“I’m not excusing it, I would bring him in and give him the Riot Act but I’d say to him ‘you’re the guy mate’ and I would demand that he starts lifting his standards and he takes his teammates with him.

“If he’s got any sense of decency inside of him as a player from a football point of view he will respond to that.”

Lowly Titans embarrass meek Manly | 02:18

Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!

Braith Anasta agreed.

“As much as he’s taken the mickey, this guy holds the key to success… you’ve got to get this blokes in your hip pocket,” he said.

“Kick him in the ass but say ‘this is it mate, this is your last chance.’ They should do some in-house stuff over the next 24 hours, teach him a lesson, scare the you know what out of him and go ‘c’mon mate.’

“If you just sack him as captain you start to lose your key player.”

.

Categories
Sports

AFL news 2022: Essendon president Paul Brasher reportedly quits, Ben Rutten under threat

Essendon Bombers president Paul Brasher has reportedly stepped down from his position after the club’s embarrassing 84-point loss to Port Adelaide on Sunday evening.

After playing in finals last year, the Bombers have endured a horror season, slumping to 15th on the AFL ladder with seven wins in the opening 21 rounds.

Earlier this year, Brasher announced an internal review of the club with opinions split on whether it should have been an external review.

Watch every blockbuster AFL match this weekend Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Brasher told members the club was “examining every aspect of our football program”, with football director Sean Wellman overseeing the review.

“I think you’re going to see real improvement in the second half of the year,” he said at the time.

“We don’t want honorable losses. We’re happy about effort, but that is the baseline and we’re looking to improve upon that and not going to take to light about losing to good sides by narrow margins.”

But on Monday morning, several reports emerged Brasher had resigned after the Essendon directors once again pushed for an independent review at a board meeting over the weekend.

According to Herald Suncoach Ben Rutten, who is contracted for next year, is also under serious threat of losing his position, with the Essendon board preparing for a major upheaval.

Channel 7 journalist Tom Browne suggested Brasher’s resignation could prompt a last-minute play for legendary coach Alastair Clarkson, who led the Hawthorn Hawks to four premiership titles.

Essendon will reportedly hold another board meeting on Monday to determine the presidency.

Essendon recorded several unwanted milestones on Sunday, including Rutten’s biggest-ever defeat as coach, his most points granted as coach and Essendon’s second-biggest loss against the Power.

On Fox Footy’s coverage, a spectator was overheard screaming after the final siren: “This is f***ing embarrassing.”

Speaking to reporters in the post-match press conference, Rutten slammed his side’s “embarrassing effort” after fans booed players from Marvel Stadium.

“Were bitterly disappointed,” he said.

“It was the sort of game that our members and supporters who came to the game or were watching on TV… it’s not the sort of thing they should have to watch.

“It was an embarrassing effort from our guys. It’s not something we want to stand for and not something our members and supporters should have to watch at any stage.”

More to eat …

Read related topics:Adelaide

.