Stars from Bradford Bulls, Leeds Rhinos and Leigh Leopards have been named in a predicted PNG Chiefs side ahead of their entry to the NRL in 2028.
The Chiefs, who have already looked to Super League with their new head coach being Willie Peters of Hull KR, could be tempted to raid the UK market, especially given how many PNG-based players are currently over here.
With the tax-free incentive given to any incoming Chiefs players, many have said that the Port Moresby outift could well buy anyone they would like, with the side having a lot more money to spend despite having the same salary cap as every other NRL side.
PNG Chiefs won’t enter the NRL until the 2028 season, but they have already started recruiting players, with NRL superstars Jarome Luai and Alex Johnston being their first two signings.
Chiefs General Manager Michael Chammas will need to recruit a squad of 30 players, something the Perth Bears are finding difficult ahead of their 2027 entry, however with the monetary incentive it shouldn’t be too difficult to lure players to play for the expansion side.
With the money in mind, Australian news outlet, Code Sports, predicted what PNG’s top 30 side could realistically look like, and if they are correct it could mean that more than a few UK based players would make the move down under.
Super League stars named in PNG Chiefs squad predicted by major Australian news outlet
Plenty of PNG internationals have made the list, including the surprise selection of Bradford’s Dan Russell.
After struggling at Warrington and finding himelf on loan at Salford, he moved to the Bulls on a permanent deal. Injuries have hampered his time in the UK, and it would be an incredible return to the sport’s top competition, should their prediction come true.
A few more plausible choices have seen London Broncos trio Morea Morea, Gairo Voro and Finley Glare named in the side. The three were selected in the latter part of the squad, as they look to develop within the PNG system before eventually becoming NRL starters.
Leigh duo Lachlan Lam, who is out of contract ahead of 2028, and Liam Horne, have also been predicted to join. Should the former make the move, Lam is expected to be a starting half-back alongside Luai, with Horne used as a fringe and rotation player.
Leeds prop Keenan Palasia has also been included in the predicted side. The former Brisbane forward has a contract with the Rhinos until the end of 2029, but we have already seen with Mikolaj Oledzki that players under contract could still move down under.
It needs to be reinstated that this is only a predicted side, and none of the players have been formally linked with a move to the Chiefs, but should Code Sports’ predictions come true, it would be another batch of Super League players making the move to the NRL, as Super League again becomes liquidated of it’s top talents.
To see Code Sports’ full predicted top 30 squad, click here.
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