PNG Chiefs land Samoan star Brian To'o in major NRL coup

The PNG Chiefs have pulled off a significant recruitment coup, confirming the signing of Samoan international winger Brian To'o as the club prepares for its historic entry into the NRL competition in 2028.

To'o, regarded as one of the code's most respected Pacific talents, becomes Chiefs Player #006 and arrives with a playing resume few can match, having racked up 151 NRL games, 99 tries, four premierships with Penrith, 17 State of Origin appearances for NSW and 11 Tests in the Samoan jersey.

 PNG Chiefs land Samoan star Brian To'o in major NRL coup/NRL.COM Photo

Chiefs chief executive Lorna McPherson said the deal carried weight well beyond the football field, describing the winger as a player whose values aligned closely with what the club hoped to represent across Papua New Guinea and the wider Pacific.

She said the Chiefs were being built as a club rooted in PNG but carrying a broader Pacific identity, one where family, culture and community sit alongside the game itself.

General manager of football Michael Chammas echoed that sentiment, pointing to To'o's experience at the top level of the sport and the standards he was expected to help set as the club assembles its first-ever playing roster.

Chammas said the calibre, character and cultural depth To'o brings would help shape the Chiefs' identity for years to come, given the influence the club's foundation players will have on its long-term culture.

To'o will link up with the Chiefs once his current deal with Penrith concludes, signing a three-year contract that will see him in PNG colours from the start of the club's maiden 2028 season.

“Brian is an exceptional rugby league player, but this signing is about much more than football,” McPherson said.

“He is fiercely proud of his Samoan heritage, incredibly close to his family and understands what it means to represent something bigger than yourself. That is exactly the kind of person we want wearing the Chiefs jersey.

“We want young people across Papua New Guinea and the Pacific to look at this team and see themselves in it. Brian choosing to become part of the Chiefs sends a powerful message about the club we are building, and we are incredibly proud to welcome him, his wife and children into the Chiefs family.”

Chammas added: “Brian has performed at the highest level of rugby league for many years and knows exactly what is required to create and sustain a winning environment. He brings competitiveness, consistency, and an enormous work ethic, but equally important for us is what he brings culturally.”