HE’S a teen prodigy who’s long been considered a superstar of the future.

Now Kalyn Ponga will get a baptism of fire, making his NRL debut in a sudden death final.

It makes him the sixth player to make his debut in a final in the last 30 years and the first since Ben Murdoch-Masila in 2010.

It’s been a tumultuous fortnight for 18-year-old Ponga, who was one of five Cowboys players involved in the now infamous ‘egging’ incident, along with superstar Jason Taumalolo.

Round 20

However, that will be easily forgotten if he can help the defending premiers overcome the Broncos in what shapes as a massive all-Queensland semi-final.

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Ponga has played most of his junior football at fullback and in the halves but he’ll make his first grade debut on the wing after premiership star Antonio Winterstein failed to overcome a rib injury in time to take his place.

Ponga is viewed as one of the most gifted young athletes in Australia for his age group and has been at the centre of an international eligibility squabble between Queensland/Australia and New Zealand as well as a code war, with the NRL staving off Super Rugby and AFL clubs to keep him in the game.

At just 15 years old Ponga signed his first NRL deal with the Cowboys, disappointing the Brisbane Lions, Queensland Reds as well as the Brisbane Broncos, Melbourne Storm and Sydney Roosters, who were all chasing him at the time.

Despite his immense talent, it hasn’t been a smooth ride for Ponga, who had to overcome a life-threatening brain infection to make his under 20s debut last year.

Even at just 17 he looked a class above as soon as he came into the under 20s system and soon proved his You Tube stardom as a freakish kid would translate at the next level.

He stepped it up again in 2016, scoring some remarkable individual tries as the star of the Cowboys’ under 20s team before being selected at fullback in the Holden Cup Team of the Year.

He is yet to confirm his international pathway of choice, opting not to play in this year’s Junior Test so he could prolong the decision, with New Zealand, Queensland and Australia desperate for his services.

Winterstein’s omission from Friday night’s final came on the same day as powerful second rower Ethan Lowe was ruled out for the season, after suffering a spinal cord injury in Saturday night’s loss to the Storm.

“Ethan Lowe’s season is finished. Unfortunately he has injured his spinal cord,” Green said.

“As you can imagine it is pretty serious and pretty sensitive. Outside of that I can’t comment too much.

“It’s really devastating. He has been one of our most consistent players so far this year.”

Winterstein’s injury makes it a double blow, with Green choosing to invest in Ponga’s talent rather than falling back on the more experienced Tautau Moga on the wing.

PLAYERS TO DEBUT IN FINALS SINCE 1987

2010: Ben Murdoch-Masila, Wests Tigers

2007: Alwyn Simpson, Broncos

1997: Dennis Moran, Eels

1995: Brenton Pomery, Bears



1988: Simon Gillies, Bulldogs

The writer is on Twitter @jimmyhooper

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