PNG Chiefs unveil logo and jersey ahead of 2028 NRL debut
The PNG Chiefs have unveiled their first logo and supporter jersey in Port Moresby, ahead of their entry into the National Rugby League (NRL, Australia's top men's rugby league competition) in 2028.
The main jersey is black with a white-accented "V" across the front. On the chest sit gold cultural drawings by Papua New Guinean artist Tabu. An alternative version swaps most of the black for white. The club has not yet said which design will be its home jersey, but it has formally adopted black, white and gold as its official colours. Guardian
The palette echoes the red, black, yellow and white of the Papua New Guinea flag, the colours national sporting teams have traditionally worn. The logo adds red to the club's palette and puts the face of a chief at its centre. A team of Papua New Guinean graphic artists designed it. ESPN
The launch came despite a legal fight over the name. New Zealand Rugby, the governing body for rugby union in that country, has argued against the use of "Chiefs". The dispute centres on the Waikato Chiefs, a Super Rugby union team formed in 1996. Super Rugby is the professional club competition across the southern hemisphere.
New Zealand Rugby asked the New Zealand High Court for an injunction, which is a court order to stop the name being used while the case is decided. The court declined to grant an interim injunction, a temporary version of that order, the week before the unveiling. ABC News The full case is due to go to trial later. For now, the PNG Chiefs say they welcome the ruling, and the wider dispute remains unresolved. RNZ
Chief executive Lorna McPherson described the unveiling as one of the most significant milestones in the club's history. Guardian
The club has already built a squad around a few high-profile names. Jarome Luai, a four-time premiership winner at five-eighth (the playmaker who runs the attack alongside the halfback), was signed as the club's inaugural Player #001. Samoan international Brian To'o has also joined. A landmark sponsorship deal with Bank South Pacific (BSP) will put that bank's brand on the front of the jersey. NRL
Fans will pay different prices depending on where they live. An adult jersey costs 159 Australian dollars in Australia. In Papua New Guinea, a version will sell for 99 kina, about $32. The club also plans to enter the NRLW, the women's competition, using the same branding.
The jersey and logo are the clearest sign yet of what the club will look like on the field. The rest of the story will play out over the next two seasons, both in court and on the training paddock.
