The PNG Chiefs have unveiled their club logo and first NRL jersey at a launch in Port Moresby, days after New Zealand Rugby failed in a court bid to stop the reveal.
Development players Gairo Voro, Morea Morea and Finley Glare modelled the black jersey at the Hilton in Port Moresby on Wednesday morning, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Guests included PNG Prime Minister James Marape, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Minister for Pacific Island Affairs Pat Conroy and Australian Rugby League Commissioners Peter Beattie and Wayne Pearce.
The Chiefs will enter the NRL in 2028 as the competition’s 19th team, with Willie Peters as their inaugural head coach, Fox Sports reported.
What the logo means
The logo shows a chief made up of four elements: a feather headpiece representing status earned, a cassowary bone for the courage of the warriors, the face representing the nation, and kina shells representing wealth and the islands.
It was designed by a team of Papua New Guinean graphic artists, while the jersey features cultural drawings by local artist TABU, according to the Herald.
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“Today marks one of the most significant milestones in the journey of the PNG Chiefs,” chief executive Lorna McPherson said. “This is the first time that our club has its true, complete identity – a logo and jersey that our players, partners and fans can hold to as their own.”
McPherson added: “Today is the beginning of something truly special. There will only ever be one logo and one first jersey, and today we take a huge step forward in truly bringing the PNG Chiefs to life.”
Marape said the Chiefs give every child in the country a dream, RNZ reported. “Every child in PNG, this is your moment in the logo and the team colour that we are unveiling. You are in that focus,” he said.
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Chiefs chair Catherine Harris said: “I am proud to stand alongside all in our club and celebrate our logo and jersey, which are unmistakeably Papua New Guinean.”
Court fight over the Chiefs name goes on
The launch went ahead after New Zealand’s High Court declined an urgent application by New Zealand Rugby for an interim injunction at a hearing in Wellington last Friday. NZR, which holds the Chiefs trademark in New Zealand for its Super Rugby Pacific club, argued the name would cause confusion and damage its brand, ESPN reported.
“Today’s decision is not a judgement on the strength of our case, and the matter will still be heard in full,” NZR boss Steve Lancaster said after the ruling. “As the trademark holder, our responsibility to protect the Chiefs brand hasn’t changed. We remain open to working with the ARLC on a solution.”
NZR’s application for a final injunction is still before the court, with the case to be heard next year. Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys has accused NZR of “mind-blowing hypocrisy” and vowed to “defend this vigorously”.
Stars already signed for 2028
The Chiefs have already signed a string of established NRL players for their first season, including Jarome Luai, Zac Lomax, Brian To’o, Alex Johnston and Joseph Manu.
At last week’s hearing, the ARLC’s lawyer Clive Elliot argued an injunction would cloud the club’s reputation ahead of a recruitment push once NRL free agency opens in November, ESPN reported.
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