Alex Johnston, the NRL’s greatest ever tryscorer, will be one of the marquee players in the Papua New Guinea Chiefs roster from 2028, signing a one-year deal with the club this week that will mean he ends his career with the expansion team.
Johnston will be 33 when he starts with PNG, but the Chiefs are very confident that the Souths superstar will still be firing on all cylinders in his 15th NRL season. The Chiefs signed him up on a $325,000 deal that is tax-free. It’s unlikely he plays on beyond that single season, considering his age.
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The signing coup comes as the Chiefs have been heavily linked with Tigers captain Jarome Luai; he was spotted in Port Moresby with PNG Prime Minister James Marape. The two would form a strong start to the expansion roster football boss Michael Chammas is building.
Johnston has already spoken to coach Wayne Bennett and his Souths teammates, telling them he’s joining the $600 million expansion team after one more year in the cardinal and myrtle.
For many in the NRL world, this signing will feel like a formality — Johnston made no secret he wanted to play for Papua New Guinea before he retired, and has regularly played for the international Kumuls. He made his Test debut with them back in 2019.
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“I’m signed for this year and next year at Souths, and after that, if I’ve still got some miles to go in the legs, I’ll definitely be talking to the Chiefs,” he told Channel 9 before the start of the NRL season.
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“It would be pretty cool to be one of the first signed for a Papua New Guinean team. They absolutely love footy over there. I’ve got a good relationship with the fans and the Prime Minister.
“I think that’s something I’d look forward to.”
