KALYN Ponga’s manager thinks it was pre-planned.

The whiz kid himself suspects it wasn’t a coincidence but ask Nathan Brown or Dane Gagai and they’ll tell you it was nothing more than the stars aligning.

Having received the grand tour of Newcastle, Ponga and his family joined coach Brown for dinner at his home.

That’s when Gagai popped around, playing an important part in helping pitch the Knights to Ponga.

Round 20

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Seven months after playing his part, Gagai decided to leave.

Not that the club holds any grudges against him. They’re forever grateful for the role he played on a whirlwind weekend that started with Danny Buderus.

The club legend had one job but it was his most important since finishing his playing career in 2013.

Kalyn Ponga of the Knights runs the ball. Source: Getty Images

Deliver Ponga to the Knights.

It was November, 2016 and Ponga had just two top grade games to his name.

Despite the minimal exposure in first grade, his potential was there for all to see.

Brown and general manager of football Darren Mooney knew just how special a talent Ponga was and that’s why they rolled out the red carpet.

It kicked off with a tour from their unofficial tour guide.

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Since stepping back from his role as an assistant coach, Buderus has volunteered to help the club in any way he can.

“My job was easy. Show them around Newcastle,” Buderus explained.

“I’d show them my favourite cafe, take them to the beach for a swim and then play some golf and that was Kalyn. He was super impressed with the ocean.”

Merewether Beach in Newcastle. Source: Supplied

But he wasn’t impressed with losing his hard earned. He hadn’t signed a contract and was in the red.

Hitting the green for 18 holes with Ponga, his father Andre, manager Wayde Rushton and Mooney, each man threw in $12 with Buderus claiming the pot.

“He stole my money. I wasn’t happy about it,” Ponga joked to foxsports.com.au. “I’ll have to get him back.”

Buderus confessed; “it’s not a good look when I’m trying to get him to the club and I’m taking his hard earned.”

It was a quick visit from the Ponga family that lasted all of 48 hours.

They drove past the stadium and the nicer areas to live, and explored schools with Ponga’s sister still studying.

Kalyn Ponga of the Knights is tackled. Source: Getty Images

“It’s a beautiful town,” Ponga said.

“Great people who are passionate about the club and even though the club wasn’t going too well, they were passionate about the team.”

It was the same tour Dale Finucane enjoyed before re-signing with Melbourne.

On Ponga’s final night, Brown and his family hosted a dinner.

“All my family were there, Moons’ family was there,” Brown recalled.

“Kalyn’s family was there and Matt Gidley. We had a chat and a meal. Everyone seemed to get on well. When Kalyn left he said he appreciated everything everyone had done but made no promises.

“We had a brief chat about one or two small footy things. It was mainly about where we’re going as a club and what we can offer as far as a position goes and what we were hopeful of doing moving forward and Newcastle as a town.”

Then came that visit from Gagai.

Ponga attended Mackay High School with Gagai’s younger brother Jacob, so when Gagai popped around to Brown’s house, it was perfectly timed.

Gagai maintains it was happenstance.

“Me and Browny had a good relationship. He was actually looking after our little fella,” Gagai said.

Kalyn Ponga makes a line break. Source: Getty Images

“We went to the movies. It wasn’t a plan to catch up with Kalyn to try and lure him to the club. When I saw him there we had a light hearted chat.

“He asked me what I liked about it and I was honest with him. I said ‘there’s a lot of young players there who are going to do great things’. At the end of the day Kalyn made a decision he believed was best for him.”

Set-up or not, Knights fans everywhere are forever grateful Gagai stopped by the Brown family home that night.

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