PNG Chiefs to Prioritise Local Talent in Recruitment Drive

Papua New Guinea’s newest rugby league franchise, the PNG Chiefs, will place strong emphasis on homegrown players as they begin building their inaugural squad, according to newly appointed General Manager Michael Chammas.

Speaking on the club’s recruitment direction, Chammas said the focus would centre on emerging talent identified through domestic competitions and the PNG NRL Bid Academy, rather than relying heavily on established international stars.

 PNG Chiefs to Prioritise Local Talent in Recruitment Drive

He stated that while attracting experienced players remained part of the strategy, the franchise wanted local athletes to see the Chiefs as their natural pathway to elite rugby league. “When you talk about recruitment and who we’re going to get, that is an important part, but we also want local players to feel like there’s a home for them here,” Chammas said.

A key pillar of the recruitment plan is the PNG NRL Bid Academy, overseen by Coaching and Pathways Manager Joe Grima, which has already rolled out development structures across various regions to identify promising young players.

Chammas acknowledged the groundwork laid by the academy and said the club intended to build on those systems to ensure the best prospects are not overlooked. “We are going to take the time to make sure we know exactly who the best young kids are. Joey Grima and the team here have done a phenomenal job setting up all the development pathways. We want to capitalize on that groundwork,” he said.

The Chiefs are expected to form a balanced squad made up of academy graduates, standout performers from the Digicel ExxonMobil Cup and Hunters system, as well as PNG internationals currently playing overseas.

Players such as Nene Macdonald, Dan Russell, Liam Horne, Morea Morea, Gairo Voro and Finley Glare, who are contracted to clubs in the United Kingdom, are among those likely to feature in recruitment discussions as the club shapes its roster.

Chammas added that experienced NRL players would also be targeted to provide leadership and raise the competitive standard within the team, but stressed that long-term success depends on investing in youth development. “Look at other expansion teams, they usually start with only six months of preparation. We have years,” Chammas said. “While I understand the media excitement around 'big names,' there is more to it than that. If we only worry about big names, we might get a 'sugar hit' where we have a good couple of years and then fall away. The bottom [foundation] is the most important part, and that’s why we are spending so much time on it.”