Inside the PNG Chiefs' bubble: Tax-free pay, a compound in Port Moresby, and the test of a lifetime

Feature maps out the challenges for players and families in the NRL's boldest expansion plan

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published24 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Sources4 outlets

When the PNG Chiefs enter the NRL in 2028, they won't just be bringing a new team to the league, they will be asking elite players to relocate to a high-security compound in one of the world's most dangerous cities. A detailed feature in Nine Entertainment Company newspapers charts the unique pitch, following incoming assistant coach Trent Hodkinson and his family on a reconnaissance trip to see if Port Moresby suited them.

The Hodkinson family returned from Papua New Guinea convinced the move was right. 'It's a great, unique opportunity to be part of something special, to live here, and to bring the family over,' the former Manly and Bulldogs half told journalist Adrian Proszenko. 'What better place to do it than Papua New Guinea, where rugby league is life?'

Coach Willie Peters is more cautious. 'This is not going to be for everyone,' he said. 'You've got to want to go on this journey, because if you're doing it just for tax-free dollars, it's going to be difficult.'

Players will live at Airways, a hotel complex marketed as an 'oasis of understated luxury' adjoining Jacksons International Airport. General manager Michael Chammas acknowledged the club is asking families to accept a bubble existence reminiscent of the Covid-19 lockdowns. 'The biggest single challenge is keeping the families happy. We know that,' he said. 'If the partners and kids aren't happy, then players we sign won't be happy.'

The article details costs that are mixed: fresh produce is reasonable, a loaf of bread for $2.25, but imported goods carry a heavy premium, with a two-litre bottle of laundry liquid at $40. With Port Moresby regularly ranked among the world's top five most dangerous cities, players will move with security details. Peters said the club has already decided against recruiting some players they believed would not handle the environment.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The Chiefs' recruitment model tests whether professional athletes can be attracted by purpose and tax incentives over lifestyle and convenience.
The experiment sets a precedent for how the NRL might approach future expansion into non-traditional markets.
The successful integration of families into the Port Moresby compound will be the defining factor in retaining talent.

Background

The PNG Chiefs were granted an NRL licence as part of the league's expansion plans. The team will be based in Port Moresby, a city deeply passionate about rugby league but facing significant economic hardship and safety challenges. Players are being offered tax-free salaries to offset the disruption of living in a secured 'bubble' away from their usual support networks.

Key Perspectives

Trent Hodkinson: sees the relocation as a unique adventure and an opportunity for his children to experience a different culture. Willie Peters: acknowledges the arrangement 'is not going to be for everyone' and emphasises that genuine commitment is more important than financial incentives. Michael Chammas: highlights keeping families happy as the 'biggest single challenge', comparing the living environment to the enforced intimacy of the Covid-19 lockdowns.

What to Watch

Which players sign with the Chiefs when the free agency window opens on November 1.
Whether the new player residences at the Airways compound are completed on schedule.
Early reports on family morale during the first season.

Sources

You’re an NRL star thinking about joining the Chiefs? This is what your life in PNG will be like · The Age
You’re an NRL star thinking about joining the Chiefs? This is what your life in PNG will be like · WAtoday
You’re an NRL star thinking about joining the Chiefs? This is what your life in PNG will be like · The Sydney Morning Herald
You’re an NRL star thinking about joining the Chiefs? This is what your life in PNG will be like · Brisbane Times

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 5 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedThe headline says the Chiefs' offer includes tax-free pay.The Age - Latest News: “NRL players, coaches and officials, intrigued by the prospect of banking tax-free dollars”
SupportedThe headline says there will be a compound in Port Moresby.The Age - Latest News: “The facility – descriptions alternate between “five-star resort” and “compound” – will be their home for the length of their stay.”
Not in the sourcesThe summary calls the expansion plan the NRL's “boldest”.
SupportedThe Chiefs are due to enter the NRL in 2028.The Age - Latest News: “Now a unique opportunity had presented itself in PNG ahead of the Chiefs entry into the NRL in 2028”
Partly supportedPlayers will be asked to relocate to a high-security compound in Port Moresby.The Age - Latest News: “The facility – descriptions alternate between “five-star resort” and “compound” – will be their home for the length of their stay.”
Not in the sourcesThe feature is in Nine Entertainment Company newspapers.The Age - Latest News: “The Age - Latest News”
Partly supportedTrent Hodkinson is an incoming assistant coach.The Age - Latest News: “Hodkinson, who had previously spent time in Port Moresby during his playing days, had been earmarked to become one of coach Willie Peters’ assistants.”
Partly supportedHodkinson said: “It's a great, unique opportunity to be part of something special, to live here, and to bring the family over,” then “What better place to do it than Papua New Guinea, where rugby league is life?”The Age - Latest News: ““It’s a great, unique opportunity to be part of something special, to live here, and to bring the family over,” Hodkinson said. “I think that’s exciting – not many people get to do that. A local ground in Port Moresby. NRL Images “That’s the type of people Chantelle and I are, we want our kids to embrace and experience different countries and cultures. What better place to do it than Papua New Guinea, where rugby league is life?””
Partly supportedChammas said: “The biggest single challenge is keeping the families happy. We know that.”The Age - Latest News: “[Warriors CEO] Cameron George said the biggest single challenge is keeping the families happy. That’s our biggest challenge. We know that.”
SupportedA two-litre bottle of laundry liquid costs $40.The Age - Latest News: “However, imported goods are more expensive – for instance, a two-litre bottle of Biozet Attack laundry liquid is $40.”
SupportedPort Moresby is regularly ranked among the world's top five most dangerous cities.The Age - Latest News: “Given Port Moresby is regularly ranked among the top-five most dangerous cities in the world”
Partly supportedPeters said the club had decided against recruiting some players because they believed those players would not handle the environment.The Age - Latest News: “Peters, Chammas and recruiter Liam Ayoub have opted not to pursue several potential signings in the belief they wouldn’t handle the unique environment in PNG.”

Correction

24 October 2026An earlier version of this story incorrectly quoted Willie Peters as saying 'it's not going to work'. He said 'it's going to be difficult'.