PNG rising: Demetriou welcomes tough selection calls

Papua New Guinea coach Jason Demetriou has described selecting the team to play in the Prime Minister's XIII match against Australia and the Pacific Championships as harder than ever.

Nene Macdonald will captain a PNG PM’s XIII team, which features a number of emerging stars who are likely to feature for the Kumuls in next year's World Cup and play for the new NRL team joining the 2028 premiership.

Among them are exciting youngsters Gairo Voro, Morea Morea, Sanny Wabo and Finley Glare, who all play in the spine for the PNG Hunters.

Wabo, who played fullback, was runner up in voting for the Petero Civoniceva Medal as Queensland Cup player of the year, while Varo - a promising playmaker - won the PNG Hunters Rookie of the Year award.

Demetriou will also hand a senior debut to 18-year-old Titans prop Cooper Bai, the son of PNG legend Marcus Bai, Knights backrower Jacob Taulani and Townsville Blackhawks winger Dudley Dotoi - the leading tryscorer in the Queensland Cup.

Phillip Coates, the brother of Storm winger Xavier Coates, was ruled out with injury, while Titans centre Sam Stephenson is another rookie on Demetriou's radar.

“There were some tough conversations with some players that didn't get in the side, so competition for places to play for the Kumuls is as high as it's probably ever been, and that's the way it should be,” Demetriou said.

“The more opportunity we get as a nation to play against Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Samoa, and some other teams that have emerged over the last couple of years, the stronger we're going to get and the more experienced those players will get.

“We've now got a great amount of players playing NRL or Super League and the more of those we can get over the next couple of years, the stronger we will become internationally."

PNG PM's XIII profiles

Nene MacDonald (Salford)

Age: 31

Position: Fullback/Winger/Centre

NRL games: 98

Points 140 (35 tries)

First Grade Debut: Sydney Roosters v Canterbury at ANZ Stadium, Sydney, 23/5/2014 (Rd 11)

Clubs: Sydney Roosters 2014-15, Gold Coast Titans 2015-16, St George Illawarra 2017-18,

North Queensland 2019, Cronulla 2020, Leigh 2022, Leeds 2023, Salford 2024

Junior Football: Cairns Brothers

Papua New Guinea: Tests 19 (2013-17, 2022-24), World Cup 2013, 2017, 2021

Junior Rep Honours: Queensland Under-20s 2013, 2014; Queensland Under-16s 2010

Australian Schoolboys 2011 (from Kirwan State High)

Other information: Played Super League with Salford 2024-25; Leeds 2023

English Championship with Leigh 2022

PNG Prime Minister’s XIII 2013, 2018, 2023

Represented World All Stars 2016-17; Queensland Emerging Origin squad 2016-17

NYC for Sydney Roosters 2012-14; Holden Cup Team of the Year 2014

Queensland Junior Emerging Origin Squad 2014

Robert Derby (North Queensland)

Age: 23

Position: Winger

NRL games: 18

Points: 36 (9 tries)

First Grade Debut: North Queensland v Parramatta at CommBank Stadium, 26/5/2023 (Rd 13)

Club: North Queensland 2023

Junior Football: Cairns Brothers

Papua New Guinea: Tests 7 (2022-24)

Other information: Cowboys NRL rookie of the year 2025

Represented PNG Prime Minister’s XIII 2023

Qld Cup for Townsville Blackhawks 2023; Northern Pride 2022, 2024-25

Hastings Deering Colts for Northern Pride 2021-22

Mal Meninga Cup for Sunshine Coast Falcons 2020

Robert Mathias (PNG Hunters)

Age: 24

Position: Centre

NRL games: 0

Junior Football: Kunai Brothers

Papua New Guinea: Tests 3 (2024)

Other information: PNG v Australian Prime Minister’s XIII 2024

31 games for PNG Hunters 2024-25

Player Profiles – PNG Prime Minister’s XIII 2025

Alex Max (PNG Hunters)

Age: 25

Height: 183cm Weight: 96kg

NRL games: 0

Junior Football: Kondo East

Other information: PNG v Australian Prime Minister’s XIII 2024

Scored 23 tries in 38 games for PNG Hunters 2024-25

Dudley Dotoi (Townsville Blackhawks)

Age: 22

Position: Winger

NRL games: 0

Junior Football: Bowen Seagulls

Other information: PNG v Australian Prime Minister’s XIII 2024

Leading try scorer in Qld Hostplus Cup in 2025 (26 tries)

Hostplus Cup Winger of the Year 2025

37 tries in 36 Qld Cup games for Townsville Blackhawks 2024-25

Finley Glare (PNG Hunters)

Age: 22

Position: Halfback/Five-eighth

Height: 170cm Weight: 84kg

NRL games: 0

Junior Football: Lae Biscuit Spiders

Other information: PNG v Australian Prime Minister’s XIII 2024

36 games for PNG Hunters 2024-25

Gairo Voro (PNG Hunters)

Age: 22

Position: Halfback/Five-eighth

NRL games: 0

Junior Football: 0

Other information: 20 games for PNG Hunters 2024-25

PNG Hunters Rookie of the Year 2025

Epel Kapinias (PNG Hunters)

Age: 27

Position: Prop

Height: 186cm Weight: 104kg

Club: PNG Hunters 2019-21, 2023; Wynnum Manly 2022

Junior Football: Kokopo Muruks

Papua New Guinea: Tests 4 (2022-23)

Other information: Played 64 Qld Cup games for PNG Hunters 2019-21, 2023 and 2025

Wynnum Manly 2022; Represented PNG Prime Minister’s XIII 2022, 2023

Emerged from Agmark Gurias in Digicel competition

Liam Horne (Castleford Tigers)

Age: 27

Position: Hooker/Lock

NRL games: 0

Junior Football: Aspley Devils

Papua New Guinea: Tests 6 (2022-24), World Cup 2021

Other information: PNG v Australian Prime Minister’s XIII 2024

51 Super League games for Castleford 2023-25

Played for Norths Devils in State Championship 2022

Norths Devils 2019-23; Central Capras 2021

Won Queensland Cup with Norths Devils 2021-22

Won Hastings Deering Colts grand final with Norths Devils 2018

Hastings Deering Colts for Norths Devils 2017-18

Mal Meninga Cup for Norths Devils 2016

Sylvester Namo (Brisbane Tigers)

Age: 25

Postion: Prop

NRL games: 0

Junior Football: Tech Bombers/Kunai Brothers

Papua New Guinea: Tests 7 (2022, 2024), World Cup 2021

Other information: Brisbane Tigers 2025

22 Super League games for Castleford 2024-25

10 games for Townsville Blackhawks 2023; 29 games for PNG Hunters 2021-22

Represented PNG Prime Minister’s XIII 2022, 2024

Jacob Alick-Wiencke (Gold Coast)

Age: 25

Position: 2ndRow/Middle

NRL games: 18

Points: Nil

First Grade Debut: Gold Coast Titans v Dolphins at Cbus Super Stadium, 9/7/2023 (Rd 19)

Club: Gold Coast Titans 2023-25

Junior Football: Easts Brisbane

Papua New Guinea: Tests 10 (2022-24), World Cup 2021

Other information: Qld Hostplus Cup for Tweed Seagulls 2024-25

Queensland Cup Second Rower of the year 2023

Played in Hostplus Cup grand final for Burleigh Bears 2023

Intrust Super Cup for Souths Logan 2019, 2021

Hastings Deering Colts for Souths Logan 2018-19

Mal Meninga Cup for Easts Tigers 2016-17

Nixon Putt (Central Capras)

Age: 29

Position: 2nd Row

Clubs: PNG Hunters 2017-18; Norths Devils 2019-20; Central Qld Capras 2021-23, 2025

Junior Football: Kum Tigers

Papua New Guinea: Tests 13 (2017-19, 2022-23); World Cup 2017, 2021

Other information: Played 142 games in Qld Hostplus Cup since 2017

Played for Castleford 2024 (Super League), also Newcastle and Batley (2nd Div)

Central Capras Player’s Player of the Year 2022

Represented PNG Prime Minister’s XIII 2018, 2022, 2023

Played in PNG Hunters’ Intrust Super Cup grand final-winning team 2017

Jack de Belin (St George Illawarra)

Age: 34

NRL games: 252

Points: 76 (19 tries)

First Grade Debut: St George Illawarra v Manly at WIN Stadium, 27/6/2011 (Rd 16)

Club: St George Illawarra 2011-18, 2021-25

Junior Football: Cootamundra Bulldogs

Papua New Guinea: Tests 6 (2023-24)

New South Wales: State of Origins 3 (2018)

Country Origin: 2016, 2017

Junior Rep Honours: Junior Kangaroos 2011

Other information: Dragons Immortals’ Trophy 2023

State of Origin Merit team 2018

Emerging Blues squad 2016; Toyota Cup Player of the Year 2011

Toyota Cup for St George Illawarra 2010-11 (41 games)

Grandson of 1948-49 Kangaroo Fred de Belin

Judah Rimbu (PNG Hunters)

Age: 24

Position: Hooker

NRL games: 0

Junior Football: Gulf West RL

Papua New Guinea: Tests 6 (2023-24)

Other information: 78 games for PNG Hunters 2021-25; Castleford 2025

Won Petero Civoniceva Medal as Qld Cup Player of the Year 2024

Trained with Dolphins NRL squad in 2024 pre-season

Represented PNG Prime Minister’s XIII 2022-24 (captain in 2024)

Player Profiles – PNG Prime Minister’s XIII 2025

Cooper Bai (Gold Coast)

Age: 18

Position: Prop

NRL games: 1

Points: Nil

First Grade Debut: Gold Coast Titans v Wests Tigers at Cbus Super Stadium, 6/9/2025 (Rd 27)

Club: Gold Coast Titans 2025

Junior Football: Burleigh Bears

Junior Rep Honours: Queensland Under-19s 2025; Queensland Under-17s 2023

Other information: Queensland Cup for Tweed Seagulls 2025; NRLQ Series for Gold Coast 2025

Mal Meninga Cup for Tweed Seagulls 2025; Burleigh Bears 2023-24

Son of former Storm winger and PNG international Marcus Bai

Ila Alu (PNG Hunters)

Age: 30

Positon: Lock

NRL games: 0

Junior Football: Tokarara Nest United

Papua New Guinea: Tests 3 (2024)

Other information: 106 games for PNG Hunters 2018-25

Represented PNG Prime Minister’s XIII 2016 (from Rabaul Gurias) and 2024

Valentine Richard (Central Capras)

Age: 28

Position: Prop

NRL games: 0

Club: PNG Hunters 2023, Central Capras 2023-25

Junior Football: Kunai Brothers

Papua New Guinea: Tests 6 (2023-24)

Other information: Queensland Cup with PNG Hunters 2023-24, Central Capras 2023, 2025

PNG Prime Minister’s XIII 2023

Jacob Taulani (Newcastle)

Age: 21

Postion: 2nd row, centre

NRL games: 0

Junior Football: Redcliffe Dolphins

Other information: NSW Cup for Newcastle Knights 2025

Jersey Flegg for Newcastle 2025; Jersey Flegg for Cronulla 2024

SG Ball for Cronulla 2023; Mal Meninga Cup for Redcliffe 2021-22

Player Profiles – PNG Prime Minister’s XIII 2025

19. Morea Morea (Central Qld Capras)

Age: 23

Postion: Fullback

Height: 176cm Weight: 76kg

NRL games: 0

Junior Football: Koita Cowboys

Papua New Guinea: Tests 2 (2024)

Other information: Central Qld Capras 2025; 23 games for PNG Hunters 2023-25

Represented PNG Prime Minister’s XIII 2023-24

PNG Hunters Player of the Year 2023; Queensland Cup rookie of the year 2023

Sanny Wabo (PNG Hunters)

Age: 26

Positon: Fullback

Height: 169cm Weight: 83kg

NRL games: 0

Junior Football: Six Tiger

Other information: Represented PNG Prime Minister’s XIII 2024

35 tries in 48 games for PNG Hunters 2023-25

* Player profiles: David Middleton

Rugby League fans across the Pacific are set to be able to watch the Prime Minister's XIII Women's and Men's matches on free to air television, through the PacificAus TV initiative and the NRL’s broadcast partners.

PacificAus TV is an initiative of the Australian Government and is managed by Free TV Australia, and has played an important role in delivering high-quality content that resonates with Pacific audiences since 2020.

The PM’s XIII matches are being transmitted on 17 Pacific broadcast partners - across 11 countries and seven time zones, via:

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