PNG Chiefs coach Willie Peters has revealed the level of ambition harboured by the fledgling franchise, declaring: “You shouldn’t be aiming for anything less than chasing a trophy.”
Despite having yet to reach their first free-agency period, the Chiefs have begun to assemble a strong squad, including Jarome Luai, Zac Lomax, Joey Manu, Connor Watson, Brian To’o, Alex Johnston and Matty Lees.
Armed with the lure of federal government tax-free wages, the expansion club will be a major player in the transfer market when a list of superstars become free agents on November 1.
And Peters is adamant they aim to become a genuine contender when they enter the competition in 2028.
“On the field, when you’re in the NRL or any professional environment, it’s about winning footy games, of course,” he said.
“I don’t want to sit here and say we’ll win the competition in the first year, but are we going to strive to do that? Absolutely. Are we going to strive to be a top-four club? Absolutely. We need to create a roster and a team of winners; that’s what elite, professional sport is about.
“November 1st is going to be a busy time, and we want to make sure we nail the best of what’s out there. More importantly, we want to see who wants to come over.
“We want to build a squad and a roster that we believe can hit the ground running and be a top-four club, because that’s what we need to aim for. When you go into a pre-season in the NRL, you shouldn’t be aiming for anything less than chasing a trophy.”
Peters knows what success looks like. The former Rabbitohs and Dragons halfback took Super League outfit Hull KR to the 2025 title, culminating in a World Club Challenge victory over Penrith. He was also the assistant coach to Kevin Walters during the Kangaroos’ clean sweep in the Ashes series last year against England.
The Chiefs boast a stacked back line, with the next challenge assembling a forward pack that can allow them to shine.
“I go by the old saying: forwards win matches, and backs decide by how many,” Peters said. “At the moment, we’re not winning any because we have no forwards ... [general manager of football] Michael Chammas and [recruiter] Liam Ayoub are doing a great job. If we don’t get any conversions, I’ll blame them, because they’re at 100 per cent at the moment.
“That’s one of the parts that was attractive about the job – building a roster. We’re going to get knockbacks, and we’re going to go through many challenges with leverage from managers and all that sort of gear. It’s all part of it.
“People are saying players are going there for the tax-free dollars, and that’s fine – everyone’s entitled to an opinion. But it’s not going to be as easy as everyone thinks.”
Adrian Proszenko travelled to Port Moresby as a guest of the PNG Chiefs.