New South Wales enforcer Jacob Saifiti says he will not hold back against his Newcastle Knights teammate Kalyn Ponga when they face off in the opening State of Origin match. All three outlets report that Saifiti frames the contest as a team-mate rivalry, stating that Ponga is not “my mate on Wednesday,” and he is prepared to do whatever is required to limit Ponga’s impact.
The reporting describes Ponga as one of Queensland’s key weapons going into the opener, with Saifiti expressing a determination to “neutralise” him through his defensive role. While the articles share the same core message and attribution to Saifiti, they do not add further detailed specifics about tactics, match plans, or any injury news. Overall, the coverage focuses on Saifiti’s mindset heading into Origin and the emphasis on competing directly against a familiar opponent from the same club, with the contest framed as a NSW-Queensland clash rather than a personal relationship.
