Ranking the 7 greatest Papua New Guinea players to play in Super League including Leeds Rhinos duo
Adrian Lam, Stanley Gene and Edwin Ipape are among the best Papua New Guinea stars to play in Super League
Super League has long been a hotbed for Papua New Guinea stars, with some of the greatest players from the Pacific Island plying their trade in the British top flight.
Heading into the 2025 season, Judah Rimbu and Dan Russell are the latest Kumuls to head to the UK, joining fellow PNG internationals Edwin Ipape, Lachlan Lam, Liam Horne, Sylvester Namo, Rhyse Martin and Nene Macdonald in the division.
It’s not a recent thing though seeing the finest players from the Island coming to Super League, with the likes of Stanley Gene and Adrian Lam also enjoying successful stints on these shores.
But, with a wealth of serious talent across Super League history, who are the best PNG players to play in the competition? Well, Love Rugby League has given some thoughts to that exact question…
7. Makali Aizue
Another one from the archives now, with Hull KR man Makali Aizue making our list. The powerful forward joined Hull KR back in 2003 and was a mainstay in their squad across his seven-year spell with the Robins.
He made 130 appearances in total, notching 21 tries in the process. He later enjoyed stints with Halifax, Dewsbury and Doncaster too. Aizue also featured 11 times for the Kumuls during his career.
6. Edwin Ipape
One of the key troops at the Leigh Sports Village makes the list next in the form of Edwin Ipape. Despite only playing in the top flight for two years, Ipape has quickly established himself as arguably the best hooker in the comp when fit and has been at the heart of Leigh’s sudden rise to serious play-off contenders.
He made the move to Leigh – then Centurions in the Championship – in 2022 and has gone onto make 74 appearances for the club and helped win the Challenge Cup in 2023. Ipape also has 11 caps for the Kumuls to his name at the time of writing.
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5. Lachlan Lam
Lachlan Lam also makes our selection of the best PNG players to play in Super League. Lam headed to the UK to join Leigh back in 2022, and like fellow Kumul Ipape, has become a mainstay in the Leopards squad since.
He has notched 71 appearances for the club since his move, and played a key role in the Challenge Cup triumph in 2023, scoring the winning drop-goal in Golden Point and winning the coveted Lance Todd trophy for his performance. The half-back also has 11 Kumuls caps to his name at the time of writing.
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4. Rhyse Martin
Another current Kumul plying his trade in Super League is Hull KR recruit Rhyse Martin, who has been one of the league’s best back-rowers since his arrival.
Martin made an instant impression upon joining Leeds Rhinos in 2019, and made 132 appearances in the Blue and Amber before agreeing to join the Robins for 2025.
He also helped the Rhinos win the Challenge Cup in 2020 and reach a Grand Final two years later. The forward is also the most-capped Kumul in history, with 18 caps to his name at the time of writing.
3. Marcus Bai
Former NRL stalwart Marcus Bai initially moved to the UK to join Hull FC in 1996, however, it wasn’t upon his return to these shores with Leeds Rhinos in 2004 where he made a real impression.
He notched 63 appearances in the Blue and Amber across his two-year stint, notching a tidy 45 tries in the process and helping them win the 2004 Grand Final and 2005 World Club Challenge.
He headed to bitter West Yorkshire rivals Bradford Bulls in 2006, making 26 appearances for the club and helping them win that year’s World Club Challenge. Bai also played 12 Tests for the Kumuls during his career.
2. Stanley Gene
Utility man Stanley Gene moved to the UK to join Hull KR in 1996 and made over 300 appearances in the top flight across further spells at Hull FC, Huddersfield Giants, Bradford Bulls and a second stint back at Craven Park.
Despite his long career, he only lifted one major honour during his time in the UK, helping Bradford win the World Club Challenge in 2006. He also made 16 appearances for the Kumuls and featured at three World Cups.
He is a LEGEND of Super League – but we reckon there’s one PNG man just above him.
1. Adrian Lam
Another PNG great to feature in Super League – in multiple capacities – is current Leigh Leopards head coach Adrian Lam.
After a brilliant career in Australia, where he featured for Queensland in State of Origin, the half-back moved to Wigan in 2001 and spent four seasons with the Warriors; making 119 appearances and lifting the Challenge Cup in 2002. Lam
made 9 appearances for the PNG Kumuls too during his playing career. He later moved into coaching, where he has guided Wigan to a Grand Final in 2020 and also won the 2023 Challenge Cup with Leigh Leopards.
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