Kalyn Ponga called in for Queensland but not certain to make his Origin debut

Kalyn Ponga in action for the Newcastle Knights during their win over the Parramatta Eels on Saturday.
Kevin Walters and his senior advisers are grappling with the dilemma of whether to hand Kalyn Ponga – the young rugby league superstar the Kiwis missed out on - his State of Origin debut only four days after he played an NRL game.
The 20-year-old was flown to Melbourne alongside Brisbane's Anthony Milford as a potential replacement for fullback Billy Slater, who was a stunning withdrawal on Monday from game one with a hamstring injury.
It has opened the door for Ponga to make his Queensland debut bow as one of the least experienced Origin players in history in front of a crowd upwards of 80,000 at the MCG on Wednesday night.
The youngster, who has a Kiwi dad and spent five years living in Palmerston North, did have New Zealand fans salivating over the prospect of him playing for the Kiwis, but he confirmed earlier this year a pledge of allegiance to Queensland and Australia.
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However, unlike Milford the electric crowd pleaser might be cursing a quirk of the NRL draw.
Ponga played the entire 80 minutes in Newcastle's 30-4 pounding of the Eels on Saturday night while Milford's Broncos had the weekend off, meaning selectors could be reticent to ask Ponga to pitch himself into the brutal Origin arena so soon after a club game.
But given Michael Morgan is expected to be thrust into the starting team to fill the Slater void at No 1, Ponga might only be asked to play limited minutes from the bench in any case and looms as having the inside running over Milford.
It could be a gamble worth taking for Walters and the Queensland selectors, who have had Ponga on their radar after the former Cowboy's big-money move to the Knights over summer and will delay a decision on Slater's replacement until closer to kick-off.
He has been a revelation at the back for Nathan Brown's men this season as Newcastle scrap to stay in the top eight picture without long-term absentee and former NSW No 7 Mitchell Pearce.

Queensland hopeful Kalyn Ponga, left, at a training session for the Kiwis team in 2015.
His potential Origin debut, after just 22 NRL games, would be etched into the record books as he follows in the footsteps of ex-Queensland skipper Cameron Smith as one of the most infant debutants.
An 18-year-old Ben Ikin had played just four top grade games when he was drafted into Queensland's Origin squad in 1995 while representative retiree Smith had just 18 NRL games under his belt before debuting.
Walters had already spruiked the form of Ponga before he sat down to decide his game one team, while also highlighting his goalkicking ability when there are a dearth of sharp shooters north of the border.
Winger Valentine Holmes, who doesn't kick at NRL level, has been given the task in the series opener but could very well surrender the role to Ponga, if he plays and when he gets on the field, given he has been a semi-regular kicker this year for the Knights.
Milford was at the centre of a tug of war between Walters and Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett last year when he was named as cover for Johnathan Thurston, who was struggling with a shoulder injury before the series opener.
Bennett said he would only release Milford if he was guaranteed to feature in Queensland's 17 given the Broncos were due to play in New Zealand that weekend.
How he reacts to Milford being flown to Melbourne and not featuring if Ponga gets the nod is another story, but Brisbane face the Storm in the southern capital on Sunday regardless.
The call-ups of Ponga and Milford almost spell the end of Darius Boyd's representative career with the longtime Queensland servant initially overlooked for selection and not in the frame to be Slater's replacement.
- Sydney Morning Herald
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