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Why Johns backs PNG to eventually be a powerhouse
SEN • October 4th, 2025 6:50 pm
Matty Johns believes that the Papua New Guinea NRL side will eventually become a powerhouse once the team enters the competition in 2028.
Since the announcement of the side back in 2023, the side’s arrival has been highly anticipated by the country, which is passionate about the game.
Already, the national team has seen major improvements over the last eight years, with more players from the country featuring in high-level competitions like the Queensland Cup through the PNG Hunters side.
In that competition, which they joined in 2014, they managed to win the 2017 premiership after just three years in the competition, whilst making five finals appearances in the space of 12 seasons.
This has also coincided with the PNG Junior Kumuls being a more competitive outfit internationally, having managed to draw 22-all with the Australian Schoolboys last year.
With the improvements that the junior Kumuls are making, which in turn will likely make them even more competitive at a senior level in the coming years, this has Johns thinking that it will be a matter of when, not if, the PNG NRL side can become a powerhouse.
“They will be eventually a powerhouse,” Johns declared on SEN's Morning Glory with Matty Johns.
“And if you look at the progression of the game there, like last year we had the junior Kangaroos play the junior Kumuls.
“There were some red-hot players, I remember there was a right centre who was class.”
