Among the more fanciful stories that circulated about Ponga this week was the implication the Knights were ignoring their star fullback because they were doing nothing to upgrade his $600,000 a season contract. It was suggested his manager Wade Rushton had not heard from the club "in more than three weeks" and ultimately, it could lead to the Knights losing their superstar.

If that wasn't enough to put the wind up confused Knights fans already fearing the worst, then came news of the Wallabies "bid to poach Ponga" with the revelation coach Michael Cheika had telephoned him "late last year" for a chat, presumably to gauge his interest in a code switch.

Why Ponga would choose the Wallabies over the All Blacks if he was even contemplating a move to rugby is anybody's guess.

So with a view to actually finding the truth, who better to talk to than Ponga's father Andre, who we spoke with at length on Wednesday. He told us there is no issue with Ponga's current four year contract, which was signed "in good faith".

"We are very comfortable with where it's at with KP and the club," Andre said. "It's not about money - it never has been. He is happy, the girls [mum Adine and sister Kayley] are happy, I'm happy. There is no hurry to do anything. He still has another two years to go after this season."

We understand Ponga's contract with his manager expires in October next year. Don't be surprised if negotiations don't ramp up then.

Still on Ponga and after starring in Origin l in Brisbane and being told by his father in the sheds after the game he wouldn't be backing up two nights later for the Knights against South Sydney, the young fullback immediately rang Knights coach Nathan Brown hoping to talk him into letting him play.

Brown wouldn't budge and instead suggested Ponga take three days off and stay in Brisbane with his family until Saturday.

"But then I get a call from him on Thursday morning to ask if it was okay if he flew down to watch the boys play," Brown said. "That is just the type of kid he is."

A couple of media outlets suggested this week the Knights are shopping prop Herman Ese'ese around to rival clubs and that he could be out the door before June 30. It's fake news.

Coach Brown rubbished the claim. "It's absolutely not true. Herman is running into some really good form and has been great for us over the past month," Brown said. "He's not going anywhere this year or next."

Former Knight Dane Gagai and his club might be in denial and saying little about him wanting out of the Rabbitohs but this is one story that is 100 percent true.

This column was told a few weeks back Gagai was more than just a little unsettled at Redfern and that his family was also struggling with Sydney life. But there is more to the story. We've also been told coach Wayne Bennett would be happy to see him depart at the end of the season.

Bennett clearly only rates him as a winger and how many wingers in the NRL are earning $800,000 a season? There is no chance of him returning to the Knights.

We are hearing outstanding young winger Starford Toa, who hasn't played since badly breaking his hand in the opening game of the season, will be added to the Knights' NRL development player list before June 30.

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Toa, who produced a dazzling step to score a try with his first touch in an NRL trial against the Sharks back in February, is hoping to be given the all clear to return from his injury after seeing a specialist next week.

Development players are this year permitted to play in the NRL after the June 30 deadline. Our prediction is he will debut before the end of the season.

In the space of an off-season, Newcastle assistant coach Kristian Woolf has done a remarkable job turning the Knights' basket-case defence of the past few seasons into currently the second best in the NRL.

Only the Knights' opponents today, Melbourne, boast a better defensive record with the two clubs the only two in the NRL to have conceded less than 200 points.

But after today, Woolf will take his Knights cap off and put his Tongan hat on as he heads across the Tasman with his side to take on New Zealand in next weekend's Test in Auckland.

Whether he will have key forward Andrew Fifita at his disposal will hinge on whether the Sharks prop can get out of a crusher tackle charge leveled at him after Thursday night's loss to Canberra. The Tonga coach has added out-of-work former Penrith coach Anthony Griffin, who he previously worked with at the Broncos, to his staff for the Test.

He may be getting towards the back end of his career but there is no questioning the recuperative powers of veteran Knights forward Aidan Guerra.

After pushing himself to the limit over the past two months, Guerra returns three weeks ahead of schedule today from a dislocated ankle fracture.

He will play half a game in the Knights' NSW Cup clash against Wests Magpies at Campbelltown Stadium.

Is there a club in the NRL better placed for hooking talent than the Knights? We doubt it.

While much has been made of the club shopping Danny Levi around and pursuing Sharks No9 Jayden Brailey for next season, the talent coming through the junior ranks in the position means the club should be in great shape for years to come.

Consider this: The Knights currently boast the NSW Blues Under 16's hooker in Noah Nailagoliva, the NSW Blues Under 18's hooker [Mitch Black] and highly-rated Jersey Flegg hooker Luke Huth, the hot favourite to play NSW Under 20's in a few weeks time before Origin lll against the Maroons.

Throw Connor Watson into that mix and pretty well all bases are covered.