"He's good like that. He's my mate," Ponga said.

"He gives me a hug and what not when I get home, if I'm feeling down.

"He goes light on me (after a disappointing Origin loss)."

Ponga said he was now ready to bounce back against the battling Broncos thanks to a little help from other friends.

"I just get around my mates. I love being around my mates and just focus on the next thing at hand, pretty much - that's what I do," he said.