How PNG Chiefs are winning over NRL families
Family wellbeing and partner empowerment sit at the absolute core of the PNG Chiefs’ NRL recruitment strategy, proving critics wrong as the franchise builds its inaugural playing roster.
Speaking at a corporate meet-and-greet hosted by the Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry (POMCCI) on Friday, October 23, PNG Chiefs General Manager Michael
Chammas revealed that convincing players’ families not just the athletes has been the key driver in securing top talent.
Contrary to early skepticism that players with families would hesitate to relocate, Chammas confirmed that all seven initial player signees are bringing their partners and children to Papua New Guinea.
“When we started, people said the opposite that no one with a family would come here,” Chammas told business leaders and community stakeholders.
“Now, every single one of our first seven signed players has kids. Our families are up here having dinner tonight, and we want them all to feel that PNG is a place where families can thrive.”
Chammas emphasized that while elite training facilities and playing conditions guarantee player satisfaction, long-term success hinges on creating a supportive environment for partners and children.
“It’s not so much the player we’re trying to convince it’s the families, the wives, and the kids,” Chammas explained. “We know we will create an environment where the player will be happy, but we need to give the partner purpose and the kids purpose.”
He noted that making partners feel genuinely integrated into the franchise’s vision has been significant in closing contract negotiations.
The Chiefs’ operational model presents a rare landscape in international sport: players and their families living together in a close-knit, dedicated hub.
“This is a unique environment. There isn’t another sporting team in the world like it moving to a rugby league-mad country and living together,” Chammas said, noting that similar arrangements were only ever seen during COVID-19.
PNG Chiefs Head Coach Willie Peters said PNG is an incredible place for him and his family.
He said; “I’m massive on people. People make great organizations and the people that we’ve met have been incredible. They’ve been so welcoming to us, so kind and I’m really looking forward to learning more about the culture and understanding more about PNG itself.”
With strong support from the local community and corporate sector, Chammas expressed confidence that the franchise is laying a sustainable, family-first foundation as it prepares for its historical NRL debut.
