Brisbane Broncos assistant coach Ben Te'o has reportedly been earmarked as a contender for the PNG Chiefs inaugural coaching job at the start of 2028.
The Chiefs, who will be based in Port Moresby, will become the NRL's 19th team when they join the competition.
The audacious expansion bid will join the NRL just a year after the Perth Bears, and become the NRL's third expansion outfit in just six seasons after the Dolphins went through their first campaign in 2023.
Fox Sports are reporting that the hunt for the Chiefs' first coach is on, and that Te'o, a former second-rower himself, could land the chair.
Te'o, 39, currently is running Brisbane's defence which was excellent at the back-end of 2025 as the club took out a surprise premiership.
The former second-rower, who played 173 NRL games and also spent time in rugby union, worked under Wayne Bennett at the Dolphins to start his coaching career before heading south to the Broncos, one of the clubs he played for.
It had been understood the heavy favourite to land the role was current PNG Kumuls coach Jason Demetriou, who could have picked up the post immediately after the coming Rugby League World Cup, while Adrian Lam is also believed to be in contention.
Demetriou also has the added distraction of coaching the London Broncos in the English Super League this season, while he could still be involved in World Cup endeavours come November 1, the date the Chiefs will be allowed to officially begin negotiations with players.
That was a major sticking point for Mal Meninga this year, who gave up the Kangaroos job for the Ashes ahead of taking over the Perth Bears, who have so far secured ten signatures.
The NRL and ARLC have set no timeline for naming an inaugural coach for the Chiefs.
