Knights’ bold plan to lock up Ponga, Milford in player swap with Souths star: Transfer Whispers

Kalyn Ponga and Anthony Milford.
Kalyn Ponga and Anthony Milford.Source: Getty Images
Staff Writers from Fox Sports

The Newcastle Knights are set to adopt the ‘Darren Lockyer’ blueprint in a blockbuster deal to keep Kalyn Ponga in the Hunter long-term.

Souths star Dane Gagai and Broncos playmaker Anthony Milford could be set to swap clubs.

Read on for the latest NRL Transfer Whispers.

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KNIGHTS’ BOLD PLAN TO LOCK UP KALYN PONGA

Kalyn Ponga‘s future is one of the hottest talking points in the NRL, but his current club are confident they have a plan to keep him off the market.

Ponga is off contract at the end of next season and has player options for the 2023 and 2024 in his favour.

He‘s been the subject of speculation linking him to a code switch to pursue a long-held dream of playing for the All Blacks, and has been a rumoured target for both the Broncos and the soon-to-be confirmed second Brisbane franchise as a marquee foundation player.

But the Knights believe they have the upper hand in negotiations, offering some big carrots to keep in Newcastle, according to The Daily Telegraph‘s Dean Ritchie.

“The Knights say he‘s loving football up there and loving life, they have very little doubt he’ll extend up there,” Ritchie told Big Sports Breakfast.

“From there once he‘s nailed down they’re talking captaincy, he’s only 23 but he’s taken a real leadership role.

“The surprise one though, they won‘t talk publicly about this, Jake Clifford and Mitchell Pearce will be in the halves next season but the following year there’s a really strong suggestion out of Newcastle that Ponga will make the switch back to five-eighth.

“They think he can become a player along the lines of Darren Lockyer, who became probably the best player in the world in a new position.”

Lockyer famously switched from fullback, where he‘d won the Golden Boot as the world’s best player, to five-eighth at the Broncos in 2004. It was initially a tricky transition but Lockyer made a fist of it, going on to win the same award once he’d mastered the No.6 jersey.

BRONCOS AND RABBITOHS STARS IN POTENTIAL PLAYER SWAP

The Broncos are set to make an offer to Souths centre Dane Gagai in a move that could see unwanted Brisbane playmaker Anthony Milford head the other way.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported the Broncos will use the money from Milford’s expiring $1 million a season contract to bring Origin star Gagai back to Red Hill which will give Souths the money to bring Milford to Redfern.

The Knights are also in the running for Gagai’s signature, while the Rabbitohs are hoping they can keep him for one more year.

The 30-year-old is reportedly weighing up a long-term deal with signing a one-year extension and making him available for the winning Queensland expansion bid which current coach Wayne Bennett is tipped to sign with.

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Gagai’s decision will have ramifications for Milford with the The Herald reporting South Sydney will make a play for the Broncos playmaker should they lose their star Origin centre.

Milford has been linked with the Eels on a short-term deal to cover for Mitchell Moses’ injury as well as a number of other clubs.

However his strong relationship with former Broncos assistant and Rabbitohs head coach as of next season Jason Demetriou would make him a good fit at Souths, particularly given Adam Reynolds' departure.

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UNHAPPY KNIGHTS STAR LOOKING FOR A CHANGE OF SCENERY

Newcastle prop David Klemmer is reportedly growing restless at the Knights and is looking opportunities at rival clubs.

Wide World of Sports’ The Mole reported Klemmer has seemingly fallen out of favour with Knights coach Adam O’Brien after being demoted to the bench in recent weeks.

The 27-year-old veteran of 170 first grade games, as well as 14 Origin games for the Blues and 19 Tests for the Kangaroos has not played representative football since his first year in Newcastle back in 2019.

Klemmer signed with the Knights on a five-year deal in 2019 through to the end of the 2023 season.

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Klemmer is reportedly a little frustrated and on the outer at the Knights who have just re-signed the Saifiti brothers David and Jacob, who are seen as the future of the club.

The Bulldogs could be keen on a reunion with Klemmer at the right price if they can’t land ex-Dragons prop Paul Vaughan who is currently a key target pending the results of an inquiry with the NRL Integrity Unit over his eight week ban.