Half gravel, half grass, full Kumul: Rhyse reflects on remarkable ride

When Rhyse Martin made his Papua New Guinea debut in 2014, the field in Lae was half gravel and half grass.

Twelve years on, he is preparing to run out onto the pristine turf of WIN Stadium as the most-capped Kumul in history.

So much has changed across Martin's 24-Test career, most notably the rise of the Kumuls as an international force, the redevelopment of Santos National Football Stadium and the arrival of the PNG Chiefs in 2028.

“My debut for Papua New Guinea against Tonga in Lae, the field down the middle was all gravel and on the side was grass," Martin told NRL.com.

“That was quite an experience, and the memories from that game are still so clear.

“It’s special. I have loved every moment, every second playing for my country. To be fit and able to do it for 24 games is very special.

“There’s not many words I have got to say about it, but I’m just so grateful for every opportunity.”

The 33-year-old will retire at the end of the 2026 World Cup, with Friday night’s clash against England set to be his last for his country.

Martin made his international debut in the same year the PNG Hunters entered the Queensland Cup, creating another pathway for local players to make their mark in the game.

Now, with the PNG Chiefs on the horizon, he believes the next generation of Papua New Guinean players will have opportunities that were far less accessible when he started out.

“A lot of guys in the team probably didn’t start playing until 17 or 18 in proper systems. It’s hard to compete against people in Australia who are starting in junior systems from five-years-old,” he said.

“For the young kids, there is development that’s going to be coming in around 12 and 14 years old, where they are going to come into systems. That’s going to make a difference in terms of kids getting the right development and the right exposure.

“It’s going to be super exciting to be a kid in Papua New Guinea right now.”

Martin will have the chance to help shape that future himself, stepping into the role of Football Operations Manager with the PNG Chiefs from 2027.

But first, Martin has one final job to do in the Kumuls jersey.

Papua New Guinea must beat England by a significant margin at WIN Stadium and rely on Samoa defeating Tonga by a big score to keep their World Cup dreams alive. 

The Kumuls trail Tonga by 88 points on for and against, meaning they need a substantial swing to secure a semi-final berth.

“We know what’s at stake. We know if we get a win, we put ourselves with a chance of moving on to the next round, but we need to win that game first. That’s all we are focused on,” Martin said. 

“We are looking to perform for a full 80 minutes this week. Everyone is focused on getting a result tomorrow.”

Martin is refusing to get caught up in the emotion of his final appearance just yet.

“When it’s all over and done with, I will have time to reflect. It’s not worth getting all emotional now, especially if we do get through to next week,” he said.

“I’m just looking forward to getting to represent my country one last time.”

From 25 NRL games with Canterbury in 2018-19 to 175 Super League games and a haul of pointscoring records, it is his time in the Kumuls jersey that the 33-year-old holds closest to his heart.

“It’s pretty crazy to think of all the games I have got to play, all the milestones ticked off along the way," he said.

“When you are in this rugby league world, it’s next week, next job, and you just focus on that, and all of a sudden 12 years has gone by and you are in this position.

“These opportunities when you get to represent your culture and your country, you learn a lot about who you are as a person and where you come from. Those experiences will stay with me forever.”

One of Martin’s most memorable moments came in 2019, when PNG defeated Great Britain 28 -10 in Port Moresby in a result that meant so much to the passionate home fans. 

“That was an awesome vibe because it happened in Papua New Guinea, and that game meant so much to the country,” he said.

Throughout much of his international journey, Martin has shared the field with close friend and teammate Nene McDonald, who is taking part in his fourth World Cup.

“We’ve known each other since we were kids. We have some great memories and are super close. I’ll miss getting to play footy with him,” Martin said. 

“We have gone through a lot together, had families at the same time. He’s going to be a special friend for the rest of my life.

“We’ve had some fun moments in camp that we will laugh about in years to come. That’s what makes this sport so great, that you walk away with great friendships.”