Papua New Guinea's iconic rugby league export Justin Olam has welcomed the NRL's bold expansion plans into his homeland with cautious optimism.
Excited about the opportunities a Port Moresby-based team will bring when it joins the competition in 2028, he isn't sugar-coating the challenges ahead.
"The challenge is that PNG has never had an NRL team," Olam said, speaking with SMH.
"[There is] a pathway where you have a pool of talent to pick from. That's the biggest [issue], and the second one is to run it the right way, so it's not politically motivated and it's just an independent body run by Papua New Guinea Rugby League, and it's for the good of the game."
It's that dual concern - developing a sustainable talent pipeline and keeping politics out of the boardroom - that shapes Olam's vision for success.
The Australian government's $600 million backing over ten years certainly helps, but money won't solve everything.
"The main objective is to compete and give opportunities to young kids back at home," he said.
"That's probably the biggest challenge, to convince people to go live there."
Olam's firsthand experience with PNG's passionate rugby league culture gives him unique insight.
On the field, PNG's national team has punched above its weight, with strong performances in the Pacific Championships.
But competing week in, week out in the NRL is another level entirely.
"I think they've done pretty well," Olam said of the national side.
"If we had an NRL team this year, then most of those boys are gonna play. I think they can compete with the rest of the NRL teams."
The missing ingredient? Coaching and professional systems.
"Most of them don't have NRL exposure - training, defensive systems, attack and all of that," Olam noted.
"As soon as you get a good coach that can point them in the right direction, they will compete."
While the on-field strategy seems clear, off-field perceptions present another battle.
Olam is frustrated with how PNG is portrayed in the media, particularly regarding safety concerns that could deter players and their families.
"I think a big thing will be the way the media paints Papua New Guinea. That's probably how most of the NRL boys will see it, they think of PNG as this and that, but it's actually not," he said.
"Like every other city in the world, you've got some places with criminals, there's some bad places in parts of the town."
Regardless, Olam wants people to experience PNG for themselves, beyond the headlines.
"Most of the crimes in PNG, I can say are tribal related. My province is peaceful, we don't fight. There are some problems as well, but the PNG media love to put a bad story out there, so those people need to pull their socks up as well," he said bluntly.
"They need to [promote] PNG the way it's supposed to be. There are beautiful places around where people can go and visit. It's great for kids, for people to bring their family up there."
Crowd support won't be an issue. PNG lives and breathes rugby league.
"Off the field will be really good for the league and for NRL as well because of the audience," Olam said.
"They're going to get the crowd to the game, it's going to be consistently high."
But what does success look like for Olam? It's not just about silverware.
"The success will be to give opportunities to young boys. If I see modern tech and the PNG boys are competing at a high level, I will call that a success," he said.
It goes without saying: winning a comp is the ultimate indicator of success.
"Winning the premiership is obviously the goal when you play," Olam admitted.
"But to give opportunities to young kids back at home, some of them don't have any education—that, to me, is a success to the country and the club."
The blueprint is simple: nurture local talent, ensure the team is run with integrity and shift the narrative about PNG.
The road might be long, but with voices like Olam's steering the conversation, the journey has every chance of leading to something special.
