Jarome Luai is the first official player for the Papua New Guinea Chiefs, and Alex Johnston seemed to confirm his own signing news this week, giving the NRL's 19th franchise a chance to hit the ground running.
The club have been widely panned as a bad idea, but two signings - a four-time premiership-winner and the game's greatest ever try-scorer - 18 months before they will meet for their first official training session in Port Moresby, rapidly legitimises the project.
While they will be unable to speak to other players out of contract until November 1, it means they will be able to hit the ground running on that date with the idea of immediate success and tax free money as their major selling points.
» EXPLAINER: Why the Chiefs could sign Luai and Johnston before November 1
But attention will now turn to who comes next - and there could be a long list of Luai and Johnston's former or current teammates who are interested in linking up with the duo and building what could be rugby league's toughest project in Papua New Guinea.
Here are eight potential targets for the NRL's 19th club, all off-contract at the end of 2027.
8. Mitch Kenny (Penrith Panthers)
One of the game's most consistent, but also consistently overlooked dummy halves, Kenny could well be part of the salary cap squeeze at Penrith at the end of 2027.
There is little to no doubt he is going to be on an increased deal once his current one expires, but whether that's at the foot of the mountains or not is a serious question mark.
The star defends like his life depends on it and is creative with the ball, even if he doesn't get the same level of credit as some of the game's other top dummy halves, namely Harry Grant, Reece Robson and Blayke Brailey.
But make no mistake, he is just as important to his club as those players, and has also been suggested as a likely next captain for Ivan Cleary's side.
While he is unlikely to feature in Origin this year, there has already been a loose report suggesting he'd be interested in heading north at the end of 2026.
Watch this space.
