PNG Chiefs Secure NRL Star Alex Johnston for 2028 Season

In a move expected to energise rugby league in Papua New Guinea, Kumuls representative Alex Johnston has signed on to join the PNG Chiefs in 2028, adding further firepower to the club’s growing ambitions.

The veteran winger, known for his remarkable try-scoring ability, holds the record as the NRL’s highest try scorer of all time and has consistently delivered at both club and international level.

The signing comes on the back of the Chiefs’ earlier recruitment of Jarome Luai, signalling the club’s intent to build a formidable squad.

 PNG Chiefs Secure NRL Star Alex Johnston for 2028 Season

Johnston, who has scored 221 tries in Australian premiership history, traces his PNG heritage through his grandmother Mary from Sandaun Province.

Luai’s arrival has already created a buzz in the capital, with the four-time premiership winner attracting strong public attention.

However, club officials have made it clear that their long-term plan stretches well beyond marquee names.

Chiefs GM of football Michael Chammas confirmed a number of Papua New Guinean players are already on the club’s radar, including Edwin Ipape, Cooper Bai, Morea Morea, Zac Laybutt, Finlay Glare and Gairo Voro.

Central to that plan is the 2026 Rugby League World Cup on home soil, which the Chiefs intend to use as a key recruitment window.

Contract regulations mean the club must wait until November 1 — following PNG’s final pool clash against England — before approaching players currently signed elsewhere.

Chammas emphasised rugby league’s unique role in uniting the country’s diverse cultures, noting the Chiefs are being shaped around that shared passion.

“This is not just an NRL team. This is a movement.”