Kumuls coach Jason Demetriou says he will shortly throw open the doors at London Broncos to visiting PNG Chiefs GM of Football Michael Chammas - and that two players who amassed seven tries on the weekend should at the top of his recruitment list.
With many of their PNG team-mates in London laid up by injury, five-eighth Gairo Voro scored four blazing tries and fullback Morea Morea finished with a hat-trick in Sunday's 64-0 triumph against Midlands.
The pair are set to be in the Kumuls squad for the World Cup under Demetriou and he supports their return home to play for the Chiefs when the PNG franchise joins the NRL in 2028.
Gairo Voro Try
“It's great to see Gairo getting his running game on - I thought that was probably the best he’s played this year, which is exciting, ” Demetriou said after London's 11th consecutive win - a club record for the Broncos.
“I know Michael Chammas is coming over here in the next few weeks and he’ll want to sit down with some of our boys.
"He’ll talk to me. Part of bringing the boys over here was so that they could showcase their talent to go in the shop window, so they can play for the Chiefs.
“The beauty of that is we get to keep them for another year so if they do go to the Chiefs, they’re still a London player for another year.
“But as it stands, only Finley (Glare) and Morea are contracted for 2027. And Jerry (Jeremiah Simbiken) is contracted. The rest of the boys are off contract.”
Far from trying to discourage players from leaving, Demetriou says he’ll be urging Chammas to take as many of the Broncos' PNG stars as possible.
Morea Morea Try
“These boys’ opportunity to play with the Chiefs … that opportunity will be like nothing any NRL player has experienced," he said.
"To be able to play in the inaugural season for your home country’s NRL side - there’s no way you can even describe it for them! I’m trying to but I’m not in their shoes.
“It would be a huge honour - not just for them but for their families and their whole village.
"So of course, as their coach - their London coach and their Kumuls coach - I’ll do everything I can to support them getting an opportunity.”
On London’s books in 2026 are Morea, Voro, secondrower Simbiken, hooker/halfback Glare, prop Epel Kapinias and centres Alex Max and Robert Mathias.
A host of other PNG stars are playing in the UK, with captain Rhyse Martin at Hull KR, hooker Edwin Ipape, halfback Lachlan Lam and forwards Liam Horne and Jacob Alick-Wiencke playing for Leigh, and Nene Macdonald at St Helens
All are set to play for PNG at Rugby League World Cup 2026, during which the Kumuls host Lebanon on October 17 and Samoa on October 24 before taking on England in Wollongong on October 30.
After signing Samoa playmaker Jarome Luai from Wests Tigers and South Sydney's PNG winger Alex Johnston, the greatest tryscorer in Australian premiership history, the Chiefs are set to turn their focus to England.
Chiefs GM of footy talks signing #001
“NRL squads are made up of 34 or 36 players,” said Demetriou. “There’s no doubt the players that are here could comfortably fit in that 36.
“At the moment it sounds like there’s a lot of NRL quality players who want to go. They’ve got to get this right, they’ve got to compete straight away.”
Asked if Voro and Morea would be in Chammas’ sights, Demetriou answered: “They should be”.
Rugby League World Cup 2026 returns to Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. Where nations clash, heroes rise, and legends are forged. 3 World Cups. 26 Teams. The World’s Best. Tickets are now on sale from $19. Don’t miss the pinnacle of global Rugby League.
