People feared the Chiefs would be a joke. The NRL might have created a monster instead

August 24, 2026 — 11:48am

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The PNG Chiefs’ recruitment strategy, with Joey Manu as signing No.7, is canny on some levels.

Go for high-profile playmakers and outside backs first, to establish the brand as an NRL glamour club (thank you, Australian taxpayers). Then fill in the gaps – the workhorses, the middle forwards – later.

It’s pretty much the opposite of the patient, ground-up strategy that Wayne Bennett used at the Dolphins. We’ll see whether it leads to on-field success, but the PR intention is clear.

If the long-term PNG plan is going to work – getting through the first years while building recruitment from the local population – the short-term sugar hit of signing seasoned big names will grab attention.

As an unforeseen consequence of PNG’s tax-free salary advantage, however, the club is also playing one of the oldest tricks in the NRL book – inflating the market to damage their opponents.

If the Roosters are to keep Sam Walker and the Raiders to retain Hudson Young, for instance, they have to match the Chiefs’ offers.

This hurts those clubs and has ramifications throughout their salary cap. If the Chiefs want to........

© The Age