'Strong contingent of PNG players': Chiefs to target Kumuls stars

Alex Johnston, the greatest tryscorer in Australian premiership history, heads a long list of Papua New Guinea players in the sights of the Chiefs, with Kumuls stars set to be targeted after the World Cup.

After signing Samoa playmaker Jarome Luai, the Chiefs are expected to finalise a deal with Johnston, who earlier this season broke Ken Irvine’s 54-year record of 212 tries and has now taken his tally to 221 tries for South Sydney.

Johnston is set to be the first Papua New Guinea player signed by the new NRL franchise but Chiefs GM of football Michael Chammas said there would be many more before the club enters the NRL in 2028.

“That process has already started,” Chammas said. “We've identified the Papua New Guinean players that we'd love to have in there and there's obviously 18 months before they get together, so there's no doubt that this team is going to have a strong contingent of Papua New Guinean players.”

The Chiefs last week announced Luai, a four-times premiership winner with the Panthers and co-captain of Wests Tigers, as their inaugural signing but Chammas said the majority of the team would eventually be Papua New Guinea players.

Luai had a clause in his contract enabling him to consider offers from rival clubs while he considered whether to take up an option with Wests Tigers by April 30, while  Johnston has a clause allowing him to negotiate with the Chiefs only.

However, the NRL's 19th franchise can’t speak to other players coming off contract in 2027 until November 1 - the day after PNG's final World Cup pool match against England at WIN Stadium.

The Kumuls play their opening two World Cup games at Santos National Stadium in Port Moresby against Lebanon on October 17 and Samoa on October 24. 

It is expected that many of PNG's World Cup squad are on the Chiefs' recruitment list, including prop Cooper Bai, centre Zac Laybutt, hooker Edwin Ipape, fullback Morea Morea and young playmakers Finlay Glare and Gairo Voro.

Broncos rookie Phillip Coates and brother Basil, who are siblings of PNG-born Storm superstar Xavier Coates, are also likely to be on a list of emerging talent being closely monitored by the Chiefs.

Phillip Coates has represented the Junior Kumuls and is closing in on an NRL debut after being named in Brisbane's squad to play Manly in Saturday night's Round 10 match at 4 Pines Park.

“This team will be sustainable through the development programs that we build, and we have been building through Joey Grima and others in PNG around the young kids,” Chammas said.

What we want is for guys like Jarome to teach the young Papua New Guinean boys what it is to be successful, what it is to be a professional, to be disciplined and the sacrifices you have to make.

“That's what Jarome will instil in others and that's what other players that we bring have to instil into the young PNG boys, who might not understand right now what it takes to be successful, what it takes to be an NRL player.

“They will instil that in them and those young guys will then go back and they will teach the next generation. Over the next 10 years, you'll see the number of PNG players will grow year on year.”

Chammas said that Luai would also have an impact off the field and a visit to an international school in Port Moresby had given him an insight into how he could make a difference to people's lives in Papua New Guinea.

"He walked past the classroom, and these little girls just sort of looked and when they realised who it was they just started screaming," Chammas said.

“The happiness that he will bring to people and the joy he will bring to their lives, he felt that first hand.