Sam Goodwin

Sports Editor

Thu, 23 Mar 2023·4-min read

The Newcastle Knights are taking unprecedented steps to get talismanic captain Kalyn Ponga right, with the five-eighth departing for Canada on Friday to seek specialist treatment after his latest concussion. Ponga was concussed in Newcastle’s clash with the Tigers in round two – his fourth head knock in less than 12 months.

The Knights co-captain’s immediate playing future has been in serious doubt since his latest knock, but the club announced on Friday that they’ll provide a return-to-play timeline once he returns from Canada. The Knights have been consulting with Professor Chris Levi of the University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute.

A former centre for the Newcastle Knights and Melbourne Storm, Junior Sa’u has been appointed the new captain of an overseas team as they prepare for the 2025 season.

Following back-to-back seasons with the Keighley Cougars in the RFL Championship – the second-tier of the English Super League – Sa’u has been awarded a top leadership role.

Scoring 24 tries in 38 matches for the club since his arrival, he has been appointed as the club’s new captain with George Flanagan and Dan Parker being named the vice-captains for 2025.

“Junior exhibits all the credentials of a leader,” Cougars head coach Jake Webster said.

“He’s a tough competitor and leads with his actions. I am challenging him to move out of his comfort zone and lead with his words and really steer this side around the field. The boys respect him, his experience speaks for itself.

“With George [Flanagan] and Dan [Parker] alongside him, I have three great leaders in this team who have bought into what we are trying to achieve at this club.”

Last playing in the NRL in ___, Sa’u made his debut in 2008 for the Newcastle Knights after signing a lucrative four-year contract with the club where he was recognised as one of the best young outside backs in the competition.

Playing 86 games and scoring 104 points for the club across five seasons, he then moved to the Melbourne Storm. Unfortunately, the centre only played four games for the Storm in 2013 before moving overseas.

He has also represented the New ZealandKiwis in nine games in 2009 and 2010 and played two international matches for Samoa in 2013.

Keighley Cougars 2025 Squad

Brandon Pickersgill, Brad Holroyd, Adam Ryder, Junior Sa’u (Captain), Billy Walkley, Izaac Farrell, Jack Miller, Lewis Hatton, George Flanagan (Joint-Vice Captain), Mark Ioane, Brad England, Lachlan Lanskey, Aaron Brown, Harry Bowes, Dan Parker (Joint-Vice Captain), Jordan Schofield, Josh Lynam, Ben Dean, Junior Nuu, Oliver Whitford, Max Lambourne, Valu Tane Bentley, Leo Aliyu, Elliott Cousins, Will McCardle, Ryan Hogg