Kalyn Ponga shrugs off Walsh rivalry in Origin build-up

Queensland fullback Kalyn Ponga says he feels no added pressure over rival Reece Walsh as he prepares for State of Origin, insisting he’s focused on doing his job at the Knights. With Tom Dearden ruled out and Sam Walker set to take halfback duties, Ponga also

When Queensland’s team was finally unveiled. Kalyn Ponga found himself in the spotlight without the kind of weight he says he expected to carry.. The Newcastle captain. set to line up as a Maroons fullback amid intense State of Origin focus. said he does not feel pressured to justify his selection ahead of Broncos rival Reece Walsh.

Ponga’s case for the No.1 jersey has been built on form.. He has surged ahead in the pecking order courtesy of an unbeaten run for the Knights in 2026. where he is yet to lose a game either side of a hamstring injury suffered in round two.. It was widely expected Walsh would add to his five Queensland caps after earlier delivering as the incumbent Kangaroos custodian and reigning Clive Churchill medallist. but Walsh’s own path was disrupted by a fractured cheekbone.

Ponga, who will miss this year’s series with a foot injury, has instead returned to top gear after a seven-week absence. Since coming back, he has been on a tear, running for more than 200 metres in each of his side’s three wins.

“I think being selected, you earn the jersey. I’ve got a lot of respect for Reece and that’s probably why I won’t touch on that topic too much,” Ponga said.

“I’m here to do a job, I know the footy I can play and am playing at the moment, and I want to take that into next Wednesday.”

That next step is where his focus is pointed, he said, keeping everything simple in the build-up.

“That’s all I have been focusing on – doing my job at the Knights, making sure we win games there.”

Until Queensland was announced, it had been assumed Ponga and Walsh could coexist in the same side, with Ponga tipped to move into halfback duties in the absence of Tom Dearden (syndesmosis). Ponga said he expected that call, and would have embraced the challenge if it arrived.

“I know what I’m like – if that was the challenge that was ahead of me I would’ve tuned in and got my head on, focused on it and prepared as best I can,” he said.

He described why the fullback-to-halfback shift would have been manageable in footy terms, even if the responsibilities differ.

“The way I play fullback is a little bit like a half, my role at Knights is in that first receiver, second receiver type of role. Obviously, there’s a difference between fullback and half, and that’s the defence side of things, and that’s probably something I wouldn’t be used to.”

“But with the footy, it would be pretty similar to how I play.”

In the end, the halfback role went to Sam Walker at Walsh’s expense, a late twist to the selections that had plenty of fans expecting a different balance. Queensland coach Billy Slater suggested on Monday that Ponga was in “a real sweet spot in his career and life”.

Ponga, the Dally M Medal winner in 2023, said the attraction of Origin isn’t only the stage—it’s the rhythm he believes can sharpen performance. He pointed to an appreciation for the game that has deepened as he has gotten older, and to a weekly routine he believes prepares him best.

“I think I care a lot more about my footy … as you get older you start to appreciate everything a lot more,” he said.

“Time starts to run out a little bit, you value things a lot more, so I think all those things add up and come together. All I can really control is my preparation, my recovery and how I go about my weeks and getting myself in the best mental frame to perform.”

The series also carries significance because of the NRL’s Origin eligibility rule changes.. Ponga and Queensland debutant Briton Nikora will become Queensland’s first players to benefit from those changes. which enable New Zealand and England Test players to be selected provided they began playing junior rugby league before their 13th birthday in their respective states.

For Ponga, it has opened the door to shift allegiances from Australia to the Kiwis. Nikora, who has worn the black jumper 15 times, is set to get his maiden chance in the Origin cauldron.

“For me and my footy jersey that’s where it all began. I know how much it means to small towns, kids, anyone really that’s in Queensland,” Ponga said.

“A lot of who I am has been in Queensland, my culture is the Kiwis, but I represent both. It’s special … I didn’t think that opportunity would arise, but it obviously did, and I’m grateful I could take it.”

“My job obviously is to wear this proud, represent Queensland proud. I’m not sure if I’ll get to wear the Kiwi jersey, but at least it’s an option. I want to represent this jersey the way I know I can.”

The selections. injuries and eligibility changes are lining up in the same direction: Walsh’s fractured cheekbone redirected Queensland’s backline planning. Dearden’s syndesmosis shifted the halfback conversation away from the earlier assumption. and Ponga’s unbeaten 2026 form plus the new Origin eligibility rule changes created a pathway that now sits alongside the prospect of Origin debutants like Briton Nikora.

For now, though, Ponga keeps returning to the same point—he’s not trying to turn the Walsh comparison into a distraction. He says his focus is on preparation, recovery and the mental frame heading into next Wednesday, starting with the Knights and carrying it into the Maroons arena.

Kalyn Ponga Queensland Maroons Reece Walsh State of Origin Sam Walker Tom Dearden Briton Nikora Origin eligibility rule changes Billy Slater