As the PNG Chiefs continue to build their roster for 2028, their backline signings have been making all the headlines. In the forwards, less progress has been made, with only the signings of Connor Watson and Matty Lees on the books to date.
With a warchest at their disposal and tax-free salaries, PNG will be impossible to compete with from a financial standpoint in terms of what they can offer off-contract forwards willing to join the expansion club in 2028.
Targeting the following off-contract talent would see the Chiefs commence in 2028 with a pack and interchange forward options ready to mix it with any other NRL side.
Front row
Moses Leota (Penrith Panthers)
The situation: Contracted until 2027.
Leota is a four-time premiership-winning prop who was arguably in the conversation for the Clive Churchill Medal in a couple of grand finals.
He represents the gold star of ball-carrying brutality, combined with an excellent defensive work rate. A veteran frontman with Leota's credentials is exactly what the Chiefs need.
Landing him in combination with the existing signings out of the Penrith system would provide instant experience, leadership, and embed a winning DNA into the inaugural Chiefs pack.
Stefano Utoikamanu (Melbourne Storm)
The situation: Contracted until 2027.
Moving to Melbourne has seen Utoikamanu elevate his game, and with his prime years ahead of him and availability in 2028, this is a move that makes sense.
He is an explosive player, possessing late footwork and large post-contact metres, coupled with international playing experience. A signing of this nature for the Chiefs makes him someone who could provide a cornerstone of go-forward for years to come.
At 27 entering the 2028 season, he provides the physical, destructive carries that PNG style demands.
Hooker
Wayde Egan (New Zealand Warriors)
The situation: Contracted until 2027.
Egan represents the most elite hooking option off-contract and available for the Chiefs. He is a refined dummy half who excels in terms of his footballing IQ, service, and deception.
Noted for his ability to engage markers and deliver high-quality distribution to halves and ball runners, Egan can provide the type of delivery that would see this powerful pack rolling upfield and wreaking havoc.
Defensively tough and committed in the middle of the park, coupled with pristine service and an intelligent running game, Egan represents the best all-around hooking option for PNG to pursue and lock down.
Second row
Hudson Young (Canberra Raiders)
The situation: Contracted until 2027.
A rugged, ultra-competitive edge forward who possesses the necessary competitive edge to power the expansion club from the onset. Elite in his position, both ball-carrying and defensive metrics make his inclusion in the debut Chiefs pack a necessity.
With a try-scoring record the envy of many a backline player, along with an instinct for line-running and the unorthodox that is hard to coach,
Young represents a left-edge player who consistently competes and breaks games open. Securing a player of his calibre would give the Chiefs an established, frontline Origin enforcer who never takes a backward step.
Jeremiah Nanai (North Queensland Cowboys)
The situation: Contracted until 2027.
At 25 years of age in 2028, Nanai would provide a right-edge try-scoring threat equal to that of Young on the left, giving the Chiefs premier attacking options on either side of the ruck.
Entering a prime phase of his career and known for his elite aerial capability, timing on short balls, and line-running off his inside halves, Nanai's quality is undisputed.
He would provide the Chiefs with an attacking weapon the envy of any NRL club, coupled with a work rate and attention to detail in defence that make him a must-target on the edge for PNG given his availability.
Lock
Connor Watson
The situation: Already signed with PNG.
A versatile, ball-playing middle who acts as an ideal lock in the modern game, Connor Watson is perfectly suited to link the forward pack and the halves.
Bringing experience at both club and representative levels, quality service, a tireless work ethic both with and without the ball, and leadership qualities, Watson represents the ideal man for the Chiefs to drive a running or distribution game through.
Securing a player of his calibre gives the Chiefs an established, frontline lock to link their spine with the forward pack, anchoring their inaugural middle unit with elite leadership and tactical flexibility.
Interchange
Matty Lees (St Helens
The situation: Already signed with PNG.
Lees is a four-time Super League Grand Final winner and World Club Challenge champion who brings an uncompromising approach to his work in the middle of the park.
Known for his relentless work rate, fierce defensive line speed, and wholehearted carries, the England international represents durability coupled with top-level experience.
Landing the battle-tested St Helens captain provides the Chiefs with instant edge, professional standards, and an injection of proven, big-match mental toughness.
All will be essential whether starting or bringing impact off the bench for PNG.
Spencer Leniu (Sydney Roosters)
The situation: Contracted until 2027.
Leniu is one of the most destructive bench or starting props in the NRL, possessing the type of ball-carrying ability that few match.
In terms of explosiveness and aggression, he is capable of shifting the momentum of a game with or without the ball. With his prime in the middle of the park still ahead of him, his passion and high-impact playing style would make him an immediate cult figure in Port Moresby.
Connecting Leniu with familiar faces from his Panthers past would further assist in building community as part of compound living, which will be vital to the initial and ongoing success of the Chiefs.
Briton Nikora (Cronulla Sharks)
The situation: Contracted until 2027.
Nikora is one of the premier line-running back-rowers in the NRL, renowned for his timing, hole-running precision, and try-scoring instincts on the edge.
Possessing lateral quickness and a sting in his defence while also having the ability to play 80 minutes, Nikora is positioned as an elite interchange option to spell starters or play longer minutes in any contest if circumstances require.
Securing a premier edge threat still in his prime and using him in tandem with or as cover for Young or Nanai would provide PNG with certainty that should injury strike the starters, little would be lost in the form of Nikora.
