Communications Minister Anika Wells has spoken in Port Moresby at the launch of the PNG Chiefs, saying a national team can bring people together. Asked about an incident involving Helen Haines, Wells said her thoughts were with Haines and her family, and she would not draw links while a police investigation continues. Wells said online abuse, threats and harassment have become more vicious and that platforms should act urgently to address them. She said she and the AFP Commissioner are working together to make online platforms safer.
Gold Coast Titans forward Cooper Bai will leave the club at the end of 2027. The club says his management has advised he will not take up his player option to extend his contract. The Titans have allowed Bai to negotiate with other clubs for the 2028 season before the November 1 free agency window. The PNG Chiefs are widely tipped as the front runners for his signature, though the Sydney Roosters and Melbourne Storm are also reportedly interested. The 19-year-old made his first-grade debut in the final round of the 2025 season.
The PNG Chiefs have unveiled their inaugural club logo and a supporters' jersey ahead of their NRL debut in 2028. The logo was designed by a team of graphic artists in Papua New Guinea and draws on elements representing the country. CEO Lorna McPherson said the logo tells a story about Papua New Guinea, its people and what makes them strong. The jersey, she said, is a symbol of belonging and unity, and an opportunity to represent millions of Papua New Guineans on the national stage.
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The PNG Chiefs have unveiled their official logo and home and away playing strips at an event in Port Moresby. PNG Prime Minister James Marape attended the launch alongside PNG and NRL dignitaries. Club chief executive Lorna McPherson called the day a watershed moment for the club and a proud day for rugby league in Papua New Guinea. She said the logo reflects the nation's past, the club's values and the future it wants to build for all Papua New Guineans. A legal challenge to the club's name in New Zealand is still possible.
New Zealand's High Court has turned down an application for an interim injunction that would have stopped the PNG Chiefs NRL franchise using the Chiefs name in New Zealand. New Zealand Rugby argued the name would cause confusion and damage its brand, but the judge said an injunction could harm the franchise's efforts to attract players ahead of its 2028 debut. The PNG Chiefs plan to reveal their logo and jersey in Port Moresby on Wednesday. An application for a final injunction remains before the court, and legal action in Australia is under consideration.
A New Zealand High Court judge has dismissed a request for an urgent injunction over the PNG Chiefs name and branding. The ruling came before the planned launch of the team's logo and jersey in Port Moresby. Rugby NZ says the decision is not a judgment on the strength of its case, and the matter will be heard in full. The dispute is set to continue in the New Zealand courts in 2027, and the NRL may have to change the name if it loses. PNG Chiefs chief executive Lorna McPherson welcomed the decision.
