PNG Kumuls coach Jason Demetriou says the doors at London Broncos will soon be opened to visiting PNG Chiefs General Manager of Football Michael Chammas, with standout performers Gairo Voro and Morea Morea emerging as leading recruitment targets for the incoming NRL franchise.
The duo produced a sensational display in London’s 64-0 demolition of Midlands Hurricanes on Sunday, combining for seven tries. Five-eighth Voro crossed four times, while fullback Morea completed a hat-trick as the Broncos recorded their 11th straight victory — a new club record.
With several PNG players at the Broncos sidelined through injury, Demetriou praised Voro’s performance and backed both players to become part of the PNG Chiefs project ahead of the franchise’s planned entry into the NRL in 2028.
“It’s great to see Gairo getting his running game going. I thought it was probably the best he’s played this year, which is exciting,” Demetriou said.
The Kumuls mentor confirmed Chammas will travel to England in the coming weeks to meet with London’s PNG contingent and assess potential recruits for the Chiefs.
“Part of bringing the boys over here was to give them an opportunity to showcase their talent and put themselves in the shop window for the Chiefs,” he said.
Demetriou revealed that while some players remain contracted beyond next season, several PNG stars at the Broncos will soon be off contract, opening the door for possible moves to the Chiefs.
Despite the prospect of losing key players, Demetriou said he fully supports their ambitions to represent Papua New Guinea’s first NRL franchise.
“These boys getting the opportunity to play for the Chiefs will be something no NRL player has experienced before,” he said.
“To represent your country in the inaugural season of its own NRL team would be a massive honour — not only for the players, but also for their families and villages. As their coach, I’ll support them in every way possible.”
Players currently at London Broncos with PNG connections include Morea, Voro, Jeremiah Simbiken, Finley Glare, Epel Kapinias, Alex Max and Robert Mathias.
A number of other Kumuls stars are also plying their trade in England, including captain Rhyse Martin at Hull Kingston Rovers, alongside Edwin Ipape, Lachlan Lam, Liam Horne and Jacob Alick-Wiencke at Leigh Leopards, while Nene Macdonald plays for St Helens R.F.C..
The players are all expected to feature for Papua New Guinea national rugby league team at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, where PNG will host Lebanon national rugby league team on October 17 and Samoa national rugby league team on October 24 before facing England national rugby league team in Wollongong on October 30.
After already securing high-profile signings including Jarome Luai from Wests Tigers and South Sydney winger Alex Johnston, Demetriou believes the Chiefs must continue strengthening their roster with experienced talent from England.
“NRL squads are made up of 34 to 36 players, and there’s no doubt the players here could fit comfortably into that group,” he said.
“At the moment, it sounds like there are a lot of NRL-quality players who want to be part of it. They’ve got to get this right and be competitive straight away.”
When asked directly if Voro and Morea should be among Chammas’ targets, Demetriou replied: “They should be.”
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