The pub argument around “greatness” in sport in 2026 gets stranger by the day. Take the NBA, where we’ve been locked into a conversation about LeBron James vs Michael Jordan for the last decade or so. The latest argument in favour of LeBron has been the fact that he is taking part in play-off hoops with his son. He literally helped CREATE a teammate.
Jarome Luai isn’t in the NRL GOAT conversation. He’s not even in the conversation for best player in the game right now, but even his many haters must concede it’s a pretty ringing endorsement for the Tigers five-eighth that he is seen as such a cornerstone for the new PNG franchise.
Not only is Luai seen as the ideal player to lead an expansion club, but he’s the centrepiece of an attempt to stop the influence of China in the Pacific. He’s as hard as nails, and it turns out Luai is also a vital tool for diplomatic soft power.
The Papua New Guinea Chiefs have their share of sceptics (me among them). Despite the fact that they’re offering enormous salaries tax-free, the idea of living in a compound in Port Moresby struck me as a tough sell. As my colleague Nick Campton said, ‘It’s all well and good to build a gilded prison, but even the nicest enclosure will eventually make you feel trapped.’
And yet, the Chiefs have undeniably landed the two best possible recruits for their club in the space of a couple of days. Luai is beloved by those he’s played with across two clubs, his state and his country. He will be a selling point in the coming pitch decks being sent to player managers. Alex Johnston might already have a statue at South Sydney’s HQ, but he’s a deity in PNG and the romance of him representing the Chiefs, given his heritage in the country, is undeniable.
It turns out that $600m in funding is rather a lot to play with. Is anyone else intrigued to see how an NRL team might spend that over the course of the project? If there’s one thing that we’ve learned about government spending, it’s that it can be wasteful. I’m oddly excited for an inevitable parliamentary inquiry where independent senator David Pocock flexes his outrageous biceps while grilling one-time Channel Nine news breaker, now Chiefs GM Michael Chammas, on his allocation of recruitment resources.
Money is no guarantee of success; heck, LIV just spent $7bn to create a golf league that no one attends outside of Adelaide. Yet, so far, you’d have to argue the new franchise is doing well. Contrast it to the Perth Bears, who have comparatively shallow pockets, no tax exemptions and cannot, as yet, secure a big fish. Their recruits include Tyran Wishart, Scott Sorensen, Nick Meaney, Toby Sexton, Siosifa Talakai. These are not players to scoff at, but do I think they could fight off the reach of Chinese influence on our doorstep? I do not. Right now, it appears the PNG gilded prison is preferable to a three-bedder in Scarborough, within walking distance of legendary beachside nightclub, The Lookout.
