The annual Prime Minister’s XIII rugby league Men’s and Women’s clash between PNG and Australia is set to take place on Sunday, October 12, with teams arriving in camp.
The PM’s XIII match will also feature our Junior Kumuls taking on the Australian School Boys. While the Junior Orchids go up against the Australian School girls before the PM XIII women’s and men’s matches.
PNGRFL Chairman Sandis Tsaka when announcing the PM’s XIII Men’s and Women’s, Junior Kumuls and Orchids squads stated that the 2025 PM’s XIII matches marks the 20th anniversary of the international match between PNG and Australia, which began in 2005.
PNGRFL looks forward to hosting another PM's XIII match this year following PNG's Golden Jubilee Independence Celebrations.
“The Prime Minister's XIII match kicks off the representative season with the Pacific Championships straight after PM’s XIII match," he said.
"While the relationship between Australia and PNG goes far beyond the number of years of the PM’s XIII matches played between both countries, the 2025 Prime Minister XIII marks 20 years of close relations with Australian Rugby League and NRL in the space of the development of rugby league in PNG.
“I am pleased to announce our selection for the PM’s XIII Men’s and Women’s squad and the Junior Kumuls and Junior Orchids squad.
"The squad lists highlight our push for pathways within our domestic competition and our success stories who are currently playing in Australia and in the English Super League.
"Our Junior Kumuls and Junior Orchids have been selected through the PNG NRL Bid Academy, PNGNRLC National Youth Competition and Santos Cup. We wish all squads the very best as they move into camp.”
Kick off times for the matches are:
- 9am (10am AEDT): Junior Orchids v Australian Schoolgirls
- 11am (noon AEDT): Junior Kumuls v Australian Schoolboys
- 1pm (2pm AEDT): PNG v Australia PM’s XIII Women
- 3.05pm (4.05pm AEDT): PNG v Australia PM’s XIII Men
Tickets are currently on sale at any of the participating Post PNG outlets at the following prices:
- Eastern Stand K30, North/South Stands K50
- Western Wings K80
- Grandstand K120
The Prime Minister’s XIII games started in 2005 with the Men’s, while the Women’s joined in 2017 and then the juniors in 2023. This annual event is used to promote rugby league as well as humanitarian causes by both the governments of PNG and Australia.
PNG Prime Minister’s squads
Prime Ministers XIII Men’s squad
- Nene Macdonald (Salford Red Devils)
- Robert Derby (North Queensland Cowboys)
- Robert Mathias (SP PNG Hunters)
- Alex Max (SP PNG Hunters)
- Dudley Dotoi (Townsville Blackhawks)
- Finley Glare (PNG Hunters)
- Kyle Laybutt (Souths RLFC, Townsville)
- Epel Kapianis (PNG Hunters)
- Liam Horne (Castleford Tigers)
- Sylvester Namo (Brisbane Tigers)
- Jacob Alick-Wienke (Gold Coast Titans)
- Nixon Putt (Central Queensland Capras)
- Jack De Belin (St George Illawarra / Parramatta Eels)
- Judah Rimbu (PNG Hunters)
- Cooper Bai (Gold Coast Titans
- Ila Alu (PNG Hunters)
- Valentine Richard (Central Queensland Capras)
- Jacob Taulani (Newcastle Knights)
- Morea Morea (Central Queensland Capras)
- Gairo Varo (PNG Hunters)
Coach: Jason Demetriou
Prime Ministers XIII Women’s squad
- Fleur Ginn (Paramatta Eels)
- Skaylyn Sil (Hagen Eagles)
- Relna Wuruki-Hosea (Canberra Raiders)
- Ruth Gende (Port Moresby Vipers)
- Naomi Kelly (Central Dabari)
- India Seeto (Brisbane Tigers)
- Caitlin Tanner (Mackay Cutters)
- Elsie Albert (Parramatta Eels)
- Therese Aiton (Clydesdales)
- Jessikah Reeves (Wests Tigers)
- Sareka Mooka (Northern Pride)
- Essay Banu (North Queensland Cowboys)
- Josephine Howard (Port Moresby Vipers)
- Delaliah Ahose (Goroka Lahanis)
- Gloria Kaupa (Wests)
- Emmogen Taumafai (Sunshine Cost Falcons)
- Leila Kerowa (Central Dabari)
- Marie Biyama (Clydesdales)
- Emily Veivers (Wigan Warriors)
- Mala Mark (Central Dabari)
- Belinda Gwasamun (Santos Cup – Mt Hagen Eagles)
Coach: Tahnee Norris
Note: One to be omitted
Junior Kumuls squad
- Hercules Kondo (NYC – Goroka Lahanis)
- Araga Eresi (NYC – Port Moresby Vipers)
- Nathaniel Apa (NYC –Mt Hagen Eagles)
- Kevin Yako (Digicel ExxonMobil Cup – Lae Tigers)
- Manase Watt (Digicel ExxonMobil Cup – Port Moresby Vipers)
- Ellyjah Birve (Sunshine Coast Falcons)
- Felix Beki (Digicel ExxonMobil Cup- Gulf Isou)
- Jabiri Mack (Ipswich Jets)
- Jeffery Philip (NYC – Port Moresby Vipers)
- Vane Manuma (Digicel ExxonMobil Cup – Central Dabaris)
- Geordan Amaiu (Canberra Raiders)
- Joseph Kora (c) (Digicel ExxonMobil Cup – Port Moresby Vipers)
- David Issac (NYC –Mt Hagen Eagles)
- Ishmael Vaieke (Digicel ExxonMobil Cup – Gulf Isou)
- Otto Thomas (NYC- Goroka Lahanis)
- Taufa Taulani (Mal Meninga Cup – Redcliffe Dolphins)
- Ames John (PNG NRL Bid Academy)
- Ryan Martin (NYC – Goroka Lahanis)
Coach: Joseph Grima
Junior Orchids
- Janique Mili (South Logan Magpies)
- Jarishma Fonataba (Rabaul Gurias)
- Christolite Diunde (Goroka Lahanis)
- Ukere Sabumei (Port Moresby Vipers)
- Irene Luana (Rabual Gurias)
- Tia Molo (Redcliffe Dolphins)
- Joyce Horbert (Port Moresby Vipers)
- Chloe Thompson (Western Clydesdales)
- Josephine Wesu (Port Moresby Vipers)
- Williamina Hauna (Rabaul Gurias)
- Mya Muller (Tarsha Gale Cup- Penrith Panthers)
- Brenda Koi (Mt Hagen Eagles)
- Alice Joe (Lae Tigers)
- Brigit Movoa (Central Dabari)
- Elisabeth Loriri (Central Dabari)
- Meriso Jomino (NRL Bid Goroka Academy)
- Rayleen Karry (Rabaul Gurias)
- Rhonda Joseph (Rabual Gurias)
- Christine Raiam (Port Moresby Vipers)
Coach: Godfrey Luke
Rugby League fans across the Pacific are set to be able to watch the Prime Minister's XIII Women's and Men's matches on free to air television, through the PacificAus TV initiative and the NRL’s broadcast partners.
PacificAus TV is an initiative of the Australian Government and is managed by Free TV Australia, and has played an important role in delivering high-quality content that resonates with Pacific audiences since 2020.
The PM’s XIII matches are being transmitted on 17 Pacific broadcast partners - across 11 countries and seven time zones, via:
EMTV and NBC (Papua New Guinea) & Digicel.
Fiji TV, FBC and Mai TV (Fiji)
SBC TV1, EFKS TV2 and Apia TV3 (Samoa)
CITV and Vaka TV (Cook Islands)
TTV (Solomon Islands)
VBTC (Vanuatu)
Kiri One (Kiribati)
NTV (Nauru)
TVBC (Tuvalu)
TBC (Tonga)
BCN (Niue)
