Newcastle Knights co-captain Kalyn Ponga has ruled himself out of selection for the Kangaroos at this year's Rugby League World Cup.
The Knights ace, who didn't play after suffering his third concussion in the space of six weeks during a defeat to the Roosters in July, informed Australian coach Mal Meninga of his decision on Wednesday.
The Queensland State of Origin star said he was determined to hit the ground running for the Knights next season after being embroiled in a recent toilet cubicle controversy with teammate Kurt Mann.
"I understand the potential opportunities that may be missed by this decision, however, due to the year we have endured, I really want to commit on the upcoming preseason," Ponga told the Knights website.
"My focus will sit firmly with nailing preseason from the start, and I believe this decision is in the best interest of myself and the Knights."
Ponga and Mann escaped punishment over their drama at Hotel Delany after the NRL cleared the pair of any wrongdoing.
The Knights pair had been under the microscope since being filmed being escorted out of a cubicle in a Newcastle pub earlier this month.
The video prompted a two-week investigation by the NRL integrity unit, with the probe and a subsequent drug test widely criticised by the players' union.
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