An outrageously good Super League Dream Team of Papua New Guinea stars

The curtain has been brought down on another thrilling Super League season, and with that, attention now turns to the autumn internationals.

The Pacific Championships are now underway in the southern hemisphere, with Australia, New Zealand and Tonga competing in this year’s Pacific Cup: and Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the Cook Islands participating in the Pacific Bowl.

Over the next couple of weeks, Love Rugby League will be celebrating the past and present international stars that have graced Super League over the years by creating dream line-ups of representatives from the participating nations in the Pacific Championships.

First up is Papua New Guinea. Spoiler alert: the Kumuls’ all-time Super League XIII is star-studded..

1. John Wilshere (Warrington, Leigh, Salford)

Port Moresby-born Wilshere featured in the NRL for Melbourne Storm and St George Illawarra Dragons before making his move to Super League with Warrington Wolves.

He only made five appearances for Warrington in 2004 before he made the switch to Leigh in 2005, scoring eight tries in 26 games for the then Centurions. But it was at Salford where Wilshere had his most memorable spell, scoring 22 tries and kicking 82 goals in 49 appearances between 2006 and 2009. He won 16 caps for Papua New Guinea, representing the Kumuls in two World Cups.

2. David Mead (Catalans)

The former Gold Coast Titans and Brisbane Broncos winger enjoyed three impressive seasons in Super League with Catalans Dragons between 2018 and 2020, scoring 29 tries in 58 appearances.

Port Moresby-born Mead, who featured in three World Cups for Papua New Guinea, played in Catalans’ historic Challenge Cup final win at Wembley in 2018.

3. Nene Macdonald (Leigh, Leeds, Salford)

The towering centre first came over to England in 2022, helping Leigh gain promotion from the Championship to Super League, scoring 27 tries in as many games.

He made the move to Leeds Rhinos ahead of the 2023 campaign but departed AMT Headingley before the season ended: and then signed a four-year contract with Salford.

Macdonald was one of Super League’s best centres in 2024, being rewarded with a place in the Super League Dream Team as a result. The Port Moresby-born centre has played in the last three World Cups for the Kumuls.

RELATED: 2024 Super League Dream Team has ELEVEN debutants

4. Menzie Yere (Sheffield Eagles)

What makes you happy in life? #TheJukebox pic.twitter.com/XNDRySpy6f

— Sheffield Eagles (@SheffieldEagles) July 12, 2019

Yes, we know Yere has never played in Super League: and we are fully prepared to break our own rules in this PNG Super League Dream Team!

But we simply can’t ignore the Sheffield Eagles legend, can we? Yere was known as The Jukebox – as the hits didn’t stop coming.

Yere spent 12 seasons with Sheffield between 2009 and 2020, scoring 196 tries in 295 appearances for the club. Yere, who was born in the Simbu Province, represented his country in two World Cups.

5. Marcus Bai (Hull FC, Leeds Rhinos, Bradford Bulls)

The Ulamona-born winger is best known for his spells with Leeds and Bradford: but he actually first came to England with Hull FC in 1997! He scored two tries in eight games for the Black and Whites returning Down Under.

Bai came back to Super League in 2004 with Leeds, scoring an incredible 45 tries over 63 games for the Rhinos over two seasons, winning a Super League title and World Club Challenge title with the Headingley club.

Bai then spent the final season of his professional career with Bradford in 2006, helping the Bulls win the World Club Challenge. He represented the Kumuls in two World Cups.

6. Lachlan Lam (Leigh)

Lachlan Lam, the son of Kumuls legend Adrian, has been with Leigh Leopards since 2022 and has become one of the premier half-backs in Super League over the last couple of seasons.

The 26-year-old scooped the Lance Todd Trophy in 2023 after helping Leigh lift the Challenge Cup at Wembley. Although born in Sydney, Lam Jnr has represented Papua New Guinea in the last two World Cups, qualifying to represent the Kumuls through his father, who is also his head coach at Leigh!

7. Adrian Lam (Wigan)

Lam Snr is one of the best half-backs to grace Super League. He spent four seasons with Wigan between 2001 and 2004, being named in the Dream Team in three of those.

The Rabaul-born playmaker, who scored 44 tries in 119 games for the Warriors, played in two World Cups for the Kumuls: and coached them in two. He has been head coach of Leigh since 2021, guiding the Leopards to Challenge Cup success in 2023 as well as reaching the Super League semi-finals in 2024.

MY ULTIMATE TEAM: Adrian Lam’s best 13 from players he played with including Wigan Warriors, NRL icons

8. Makali Aizue (Hull KR, Halifax, Dewsbury, Doncaster)

The Goroka-born prop spent the majority of his professional career in England, having spent six seasons with Hull KR between 2004 and 2009, making 159 appearances.

Aizue then went on to spend time with Halifax, Dewsbury and Doncaster before retiring from playing in 2017. He won 12 caps for the Kumuls and played in two World Cups.

9. Edwin Ipape (Leigh)

The Leigh star is one of the best hookers in Super League right now: and has been for a couple of years.

The Mount Hagen-born hooker has scored 37 tries in 74 games for the Leopards to date, helping Lam’s side lift the Challenge Cup at Wembley in 2023. Ipape represented Papua New Guinea at the Rugby League World Cup in 2022, being named in the Team of the Tournament.

RELATED: The 6 Papua New Guineans selected in a Super League Dream Team

10. Jason Chan

Chan spent five seasons in Super League between 2009 and 2014 with Celtic Crusaders, Huddersfield Giants and Hull KR (loan), racking up almost 150 appearances.

The Sydney-born forward won eight caps for Papua New Guinea on the international stage, representing the Kumuls in two World Cups.

11. Neville Costigan

The Rabaul-born forward spent the final season of his career in Super League with Hull KR in 2014, making 24 appearances for the Robins.

Costigan, who played more than 160 games in the NRL, represented Queensland six times in the State of Origin arena and won six caps for the Kumuls on the international stage, playing in the 2008 and 2013 World Cups.

12. Rhyse Martin

The long-serving Papua New Guinea international will move onto pastures new in 2025 with Hull KR: but he has proven to be a masterstroke of a signing from Leeds.

Martin scored 40 tries and kicked 440 goals in 132 appearances for the Rhinos over six seasons, chalking up more than 1,000 points. Martin helped the Rhinos win the Challenge Cup in 2020 and was named in the Super League Dream Team this year.

The goal-kicking back-rower has played in the last two World Cups for PNG.

13. Stanley Gene

Gene is an iconic figure in the British game, having spent 15 seasons of his professional career in England between 1996 and 2010.

The ultimate utility man played for Hull FC, Huddersfield, Bradford and Halifax during his career: but his most memorable moments came in a Hull KR shirt, enjoying two spells at Craven Park, racking up more than 150 appearances for the Robins.

Goroka-born Gene won 16 caps on the international stage for Papua New Guinea, playing in the 1995, 2000 and 2008 World Cups.

READ NEXT: Every Papua New Guinea international who has played in Super League