Knights football director Peter Parr says the club supports Kalyn Ponga's decision to sidestep the NRL All Stars game but he still expects Newcastle to be well represented.
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Ponga on Tuesday announced that he had made himself unavailable for the Maori side ahead of the February 16 match in Townsville.
It's the fourth consecutive year Newcastle's skipper will miss the cultural clash, after injuries largely ruled him out in 2023 and 2021, and he opted to focus on his club campaign in 2022.
"It's a special game for both cultures and I've been lucky enough to be part of it for three series now, but I just want to focus on the Knights and get myself right for the season," Ponga said, speaking on Triple M Newcastle.
The 25-year-old's decision to opt out of the match comes after he made himself unavailable for Queensland for Origin II and III last year to focus on club football.
He also ruled himself out for Australia's World Cup squad in late 2022.
However both times, those decisions came after Ponga had been sidelined due to repeat head-knocks.
"We're supportive of any decision our players make, whether they want to participate or if they don't," Parr said. "If that's his decision, we're supportive of that."
Parr said Ponga's concussions woes in recent years were not a factor in his decision.
"I think we've gone past that," he said.
"He was eligible to play for Australia at the end of last season, we were supportive of him playing in that.
"The Origin last year was a completely different set of circumstances, he was only recently back from Canada [for concussion tests]."
Ponga last represented the Maori side in 2020.
If he had played this year, he was potentially set for a dual with incumbent Maroons fullback Reece Walsh.
But it remains to be seen if Walsh features at all, and for which side given he is reportedly eligible for both the Indigenous and Maori teams.
Ponga reiterated, however, his desire to don a Queensland jersey again in 2024.
"I do want to put myself forward for Queensland this year," he said.
"Hopefully we can have another good season here, I can play Origin and we can go a few steps forward."
Newcastle are likely to have at least a couple of players feature in the All Stars.
Leo Thompson is an incumbent for the Maori side, while Bradman Best, Adam Elliott and Dylan Lucas have all expressed a desire to represent the Indigenous team.
Dane Gagai has represented both sides, but has previously said he now struggles to play against either team.
"He was undecided, but I think everyone else has put their hand up," Parr said.
Meanwhile, Ponga has hailed Jack Cogger's mentality as the race for a spot in the halves heats up ahead of next month's trial games.
Cogger, coming off a season at Penrith that culminated in a premiership and crucial grand final appearance, is back at the Knights five years after he departed the club and pushing to play halfback or five-eighth.
The 26-year-old has been keeping incumbent pairing Jackson Hastings and Tyson Gamble on their toes and Ponga has been pleased with what a matured Cogger has brought to the team.
"It's been a good battle between those three, it's been healthy [and] they're getting the best out of each other," he said on SEN QLD radio.
"'Coggs' was here ... when I first got here, but he has definitely grown, as we all have, but just his mindset towards the game - you can definitely see he has been in a good system there at Penrith.
"He has carried that through here, he is rubbing off on the boys and just his mentality - it's a winning mentality, really, and that's what we need at this club."
