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Find your frequencyNo Moses but Conti can lead Lebanon to promised land
Joel Gould, AAP • October 15th, 2026 8:48 am
Alex Conti will play halfback for Lebanon against Papua New Guinea in a new-look halves combination | Photo: Russell Freeman/AAP
New Lebanon half Alex Conti has been backed to make the most of a sliding doors World Cup moment as he prepares to make his international debut against Papua New Guinea.
The 20-year-old Bulldogs playmaker has been named at No. 7 for the clash in Port Moresby on Saturday alongside Khaled Rajab, who plays five-eighth for Newtown and represented Lebanon in the same team as Mitchell Moses at the 2022 World Cup.
Wests Tigers star Adam Doueihi, who also played at No.6 for the Cedars at the 2022 World Cup, is out of this year's tournament due to a shoulder reconstruction.
Moses, who represented Lebanon at the 2017 and 2022 tournaments, is now in the Australian team.
Mitch Moses played for Lebanon at the last two World Cups | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Cedars' assistant coach Robbie Farah, who captained Lebanon at the 2017 World Cup, said Conti was in a similar situation to Doueihi nine years ago when a stellar tournament kick-started his NRL career.
"You can always look at who you don't have, but that presents an opportunity for someone else to make a name for themselves," Farah told AAP.
"That happened with Adam back in 2017. I remember he wasn't supposed to play in our first game against France.
"He was 18th man and due to an injury in warm-up he had the opportunity to help win us the game.
"Then he found himself playing NRL six months later.
"Alex Conti has had a really strong year at the Bulldogs. I know a bit about him from his time at the Tigers and I think he will go well.
"I am really excited to see the young kids on debut and I think this competition will do them the world of good."
Adam Doueihi had a strong World Cup for Lebanon in 2017 | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Conti, yet to play NRL, was named co-winner of the prestigious Terry Lamb Medal for his stellar player-of-the-year season for the Bulldogs in the NSW Cup.
He scored 10 tries and had 16 try assists in 17 games, playing mostly at No. 7.
He is on the Bulldogs development list for 2027 and club supremo Phil Gould said recently he was in the mix to make his NRL debut next season.
Lebanon have named a suite of NRL players in their squad, headlined by Canterbury's Jacob Kiraz, Manly flyer Jason Saab, Wests Tigers forward and Cedars captain Alex Twal and Parramatta outside back Jordan Samrani.
Jason Saab will make his international debut for Lebanon | Photo: Russell Freeman/AAP
"We want to keep developing NRL players of Lebanese descent," Farah said.
"Back when I was playing, there might have been three or four of us - myself, Tim Mannah, Michael Lichaa and before me Hazem El Masri.
"The last World Cup we had the likes of Mitch Moses, Adam Doeuiehi and Alex Twal.
"Now we have got to eight to 10, so the goal the next World Cup is to have 15 or 20 NRL players in the squad.
"This is the platform where we can put them on the world stage and hopefully accelerate their careers."
Lebanon head coach Michael Cheika speaks to the team in Brisbane at training | Photo: Russell Freeman/AAP
Lebanon, guided by former Wallabies' coach Michael Cheika, made the quarter-finals under Farah's leadership in 2017 and they cannot be underestimated.
"The last World Cup in 2022 we did well do make the quarter finals as well and came up against a really strong Australian team," Farah said.
"I know we won't have too many people tipping us this World Cup but the thing about the Lebanese is that when you write us off we tend to surprise you.
"We are a proud bunch of people. When they put that jumper on, these guys will play well above their weight."
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