Knights playmaker Tyson Gamble reckons Kalyn Ponga will be all the more confident against Parramatta this week after successfully returning from his extended concussion layoff.
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Ponga, who had missed Newcastle's past five games following a head-knock back in round two, came off the bench against the Cowboys in Townsville on Saturday, replacing Gamble at five-eighth after 27 minutes.
There was a sense of relief among the Knights, and NRL supporters, when the 25-year-old got through his opening tackles without incident and again when he finished the game unscathed.
The Queensland Origin star was solid without setting the world on fire in his 100th NRL appearance, making 88 metres from 10 runs and setting up a try, but Gamble believes Ponga will improve with each game he plays over the coming weeks.
"He's only going to get better," Gamble said on Tuesday.
"The confidence is just going to keep growing with him.
"I think he sort of had a bit of the weight come off his shoulders. First game back after something like that is pretty intimidating.
"But he held himself really well."
Gamble, 26, had played five-eighth in all but one game after Ponga suffered his concussion in the opening minute against the Tigers, but moved to lock when the skipper came on.
The Knights are yet to decide if Ponga will come off the bench again on Friday night against the Eels, and NRL clubs don't have to name their teams this week until Wednesday morning because of the Anzac Day games.
Gamble has mostly played in the halves during his 31-game career but is happy to take on whatever role required in order to remain in Newcastle's team.
"I just want to be playing NRL week in, week out," he said.
In the period Ponga was sidelined this past month, the Knights did reasonably well; winning three games - including the one suffered the head knock in - losing two and having a draw.
Ahead of his return last week, Knights halfback Jackson Hastings said "anyone that says we're not a better team with Kalyn Ponga in it is kidding themselves", and Gamble shared a similar view despite having to vacate the No.6 jersey for him.
"As long as we can keep him on the field for the rest of the year, we'll go a long way to making the eight," Gamble said of Ponga.
"Obviously you want your best players out on the field all the time.
"To see KP come back from, I wouldn't say close to retirement, but thinking about it, it's pretty good for him."
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As long as we can keep him on the field for the rest of the year, we'll go a long way to making the eight.
- TYSON GAMBLE
