PNG Super League stars being ‘targeted’ for NRL franchise switch after historic deal

Some of Super League’s Papua New Guinean stars are being considered as high-profile targets by the NRL franchise that will play out of the island nation from 2028, Love Rugby League has learned.

The NRL confirmed on Thursday that a team from PNG will enter the competition in the years ahead, as either the 18th or 19th team dependent on the plans for expansion into Western Australia.

The deal is believed to be as part of a major push from the Australian Government to knock back Chinese influence in the Pacific region, and will come to the cost of around $600million to the Australian taxpayer.

Crucially, players who are signed to play in the Papua New Guinea team – which is likely to be based in a purpose-built village for the squad in Port Moresby – will be subject to tax breaks that could see them earn significantly more than they would do if they were playing for another NRL team.

However, Super League players from the country are also on the club’s radar – with agents reportedly setting the wheels in motion and speaking to the franchise organisers to see if their Kumuls stars could be part of the plans.

There are a number of high-profile PNG players in Super League at present – many of whom represented the country at the recent Pacific Championships.

The headliners include Leigh Leopards duo Edwin Ipape and Lachlan Lam. Both of those players are off-contract at the end of this season but the new PNG franchise could potentially leave the door further ajar for the duo to sign new deals at Leigh, if they then go on to sign for the new club for the 2028 season.

Ipape and Lam would only be 28 and 29 respectively by that stage. Salford’s Nene Macdonald is another who would likely be a target and crucially, his contract expires at the end of 2027.

Love Rugby League has also been told that promising hooker Judah Rimbu, who has just signed for Castleford Tigers, is another who would be of interest to the franchise if his switch to Super League goes as hoped.

It will still be some time before the franchise are in a position to announce signings, given how it is over three years away before they play their first official NRL fixture.

But the wheels are already in motion about possible transfer targets on both sides of the world, with a healthy crop of PNG stars set to be targeted.

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