AFTER the high of defeating NSW, Queensland fullback Kalyn Ponga is excited to return to club footy and believes the Knights can turn their season around.
The Newcastle captain, along with Dane Gagai, came through the Origin opener unscathed on Wednesday night and both players are expected to back up against reigning premiers Penrith on Sunday.
Ponga, who produced one of his typical darting plays down the left edge to set-up the Maroons' third try, said after the 16-10 win that it had been "refreshing" to be part of the Queensland camp following Newcastle's difficult campaign this year.
But the 24-year-old was looking forward to coming back to the Knights and said morale at the club was "good" after a win over the Warriors before the bye.
"We won, but we've got to build on that. We've just got to put our heads down and get to work," Ponga said.
"I'm super proud to be at the Knights. I love being at the forefront of everything there. I'm excited to get back there and play club footy."
After four wins and eight losses, the Knights sit 12th with 12 matches left to play, the first against the Panthers at McDonald Jones Stadium.
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Ponga said the club's run this season had been far from ideal but it was important to take the good from the bad.
"[We can] take a lot of lessons out of it," he said.
"We've had a few injuries - we don't want to use that as an excuse, but for us it's about looking forward.
"I believe, and I know a lot of the boys believe, that we have got the footy in us to win.
"It's about putting that together and attacking this back end of the year."
Newcastle coach Adam O'Brien hopes to have his Origin duo play on Sunday.
"How they perform in those games, how they present after them is important," O'Brien said.
"Look, if they are at any risk, I won't sacrifice a player, given where we are on the ladder.
"We'll just judge them on how they come in and present."
The six Penrith players who were part of the NSW side were all named to face Newcastle earlier this week.
The Knights have won only one of their past 11 games against the Panthers, a 20-12 victory in 2018.
They haven't beat Penrith at McDonald Jones Stadium since 2015.
