Now, the brilliant Knights fullback is preparing to turn the blow-torch on the Canberra Raiders.

Forced to watch the Knights' gallant 14-all draw against the Penrith Panthers from his own lounge-room last Sunday after missing the game through suspension, Ponga will be back on deck to face premiership favourites Canberra at Campbelltown Stadium on Sunday.

And he's likely to get the opportunity to work in tandem during the game with housemate and stand-in fullback Tex Hoy after coach Adam O'Brien retained the 20-year-old in his squad, naming him on the bench following his outstanding debut against Penrith.

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In the only other change to the lineup that took the Panthers to the wire, ex-Brisbane Bronco Andrew McCullough will make his Knights debut at hooker following the ankle injury to Connor Watson that will keep him out for up to eight weeks.

But all eyes will be on Ponga come Sunday and according to teammate Hymel Hunt, he's ready to deliver as the Knights prepare for a huge challenge against last season's grandfinalist.

The Knights winger claimed Ponga has taken his training to another level over the past month since the squad returned from the enforced COVID-19 shutdown.

"This is probably the best form I've ever seen KP in training-wise," Hunt said.

"He's just got a look in his eye that he wants to compete and just perform for the boys.

"He's been training in the reserve grade side and he's been running riot. He's been giving us so much grief so I'm glad he is back in our side this week."

The decision to keep Hoy in the side on the bench came at the expense of another debutant, workaholic hooker Chris Randall.

O'Brien is banking on McCullough playing the bulk of the game at hooker but will use five-eighth Kurt Mann as a back-up dummy half if necessary with Hoy likely to have a roving role in attack when he comes on in much the same way Watson was used off the bench in the opening two premiership games.

"I want to keep Tex in the team to fill that No.14 role coming on that Connor did for us so well," O'Brien said.

"Kurt can go to hooker like he did at the back end of the Penrith game if need be to give Andrew a rest so that gives us some cover there."

Hunt has no doubts the Knights will rebound out of a tough Penrith game and show just as much fight against the Raiders.

"I know the boys will definitely back it up because we've been doing it every day at training and throughout pre-season," he said.

"We have to do the same things again - do the little things right and focus on the things that we can control and that's us being a defensive team and doing our little efforts for each other.

"KP will be a big boost and those debutants, it's their second games this time around and that one game experience will help them that much.

"It's going to be a very tough game and we're not going to underestimate them because people say they are the competition favourites but we're coming in with guns blazing as well."

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