Newcastle Knights captain Kalyn Ponga has been injured ahead of the 2023 NRL season.
The club admitted late yesterday the skipper was nursing a calf injury he suffered at training which was being monitored by staff.
While it is not being treated as a serious setback the injury could dash any hope of Ponga being selected for the NRL All Stars event in New Zealand next month, and casts equal doubt on the likelihood of his fitness for the Knights first trial game in Gosford against the Cronulla Sharks slated for February 10.
It throws a spanner in the works at Newcastle where the 24-year-old is being primed for the switch from fullback to five-eighth.