Following the name announcement of the incoming PNG Chiefs, it's been revealed that the NRL's plans for the club's first key signing is already underway.

According to The Daily Telegraph, the league's most decorated coach, Wayne Bennett, has emerged as a key figure in the NRL's plans to establish a Papua New Guinea franchise, with Peter V'landys confirming the ARL Commission wants the Hall of Famer involved in the project.

Bennett, who is off-contract with South Sydney at the end of 2027, will be 78 years old when PNG is expected to join the NRL in 2028.

V'landys said the Commission is eager to enlist the seven-time premiership-winning coach to help build the $600 million Pacific expansion.

“Yes, we want Wayne Bennett involved,” V'landys said.

“If Wayne is available, he'll be the first bloke I call.

“You can ask Wayne if he wants to coach, but we will use him in whatever capacity would be suitable to him.”

While Bennett is unlikely to take on a full-time coaching role, a consultancy or advisory position appears most realistic — guiding PNG's football structure, pathways, and culture in the franchise's formative years.

While the addition of Bennett would certainly be a major boon for the NRL's 19th franchise, many believe the Chiefs will be unable to thrive with the current league's dynamic.

V'landys brushed off concerns surrounding crime, infrastructure, and travel logistics in PNG, drawing comparisons to the early doubts about the Dolphins' entry in 2023.

“The amount of attacks I got about the Dolphins being put in, most people would've said ‘I don't need this trouble' and not gone ahead with it, but look how successful the Dolphins have been,” he said.

Confidently backing the Pacific expansion, V'landys believes PNG's passion for rugby league and its population potential will make the club a game-changing success story.

“In my view, PNG will be more successful,” he declared.

“As a sports administrator for a long time, I can categorically say with confidence that Papua New Guinea will blow everyone out of the water.”

If V'landys is able to bring across one of the greatest coaches of all time in Bennett, his confidence may not be as unbelievable as many think.