England star and Nathan Cleary ‘targeted’ as signings for Papua New Guinea NRL franchise

England superstar Dom Young is a possible target for the new NRL franchise which is heading to Papua New Guinea, according to one report in Australia.

The PNG team are expected to be confirmed as a future NRL side as early as this week, with their admission date expected to be in 2028. That could be after a team from Western Australia has already entered the competition – meaning PNG could be the 18th or 19th club in the NRL.

And speculation is already kicking into overdrive about who the franchise, which are expected to be based in Port Moresby, could attract.

Code Sports have revealed a number of headline names that would be top of the franchise’s list. They include Kumuls stars Alex Johnston and Xavier Coates – with Nathan Cleary’s name also mentioned given how his partner, Mary Fowler, has PNG heritage.

And Young’s name has also been thrown into the mix as a player the franchise’s organisers may well be interested in as they look to land as many frontline NRL stars as possible to make a real splash upon entry into the competition.

Young’s existing contract with the Roosters expires at the end of 2027, which would tie in perfectly with a switch to the Papua New Guinea franchise ahead of their likely entry into 2028. Another England player at the Roosters, forward Victor Radley, also falls into the same contractual situation.

Confirmation is expected by the NRL about the franchise before the end of this week. The organisers in PNG are hopeful they can lure some of the game’s biggest players to sign for the team due to the fact they will be subject to a tax exemption – meaning they could potentially earn far more lucrative deals than if they signed for an existing NRL club.

The squad are expected to be housed in a custom-built accommodation village which is going to be created to allay any fears over safety, too.

And once the franchise is announced, it is almost certain a litany of players will start to be linked with possible moves to PNG.

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