The NRL’s 19th team – the PNG Chiefs – have revealed they’ll ask the NRL for special permission to enter the free agency market from November 1.
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Keen to begin assembling their roster as soon as possible, Chiefs chairman Ray Dib told the SMH that they want at least two years to try and lure players to their club before they enter the comp in 2028.
Players who have contracts until the end of 2026 are able to negotiate with rival teams for 2027 and beyond from November 1.
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PNG won’t enter the competition until 2028, meaning if the NRL do allow them to negotiate with players this year, it would mean that any player they manage to sign will need to ink a one-year deal with another club before joining the Chiefs in 2028.
Leading free agents set to hit the November 1 deadline include Luke Metcalf, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Harry Grant.
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Chiefs chairman Ray Dib said the club would be “crazy” not to at least ask the question.
“We would be crazy not to engage (with available players), but I just need to speak to the NRL about it and whether we’re allowed to sign future contracts if they are free agents,” Dib told the SMH.
“That’s something we’re going to have a discussion very soon about. If we can do that then yeah, absolutely we should be doing that.
“If the NRL say we can do that and the player is willing to play with someone else in the interim, we’d be crazy not to see what’s available.”