![\"Adrian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4ab4a6c753559951c26e831e823d71d29090f818.png\")
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March 22, 2026 \u2014 5:30am<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n Save this article for later<\/p>\n Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.<\/p>\n Got it<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Papua New Guinea has just become an even more financially attractive destination for prospective NRL players following revelations that third-party earnings will be tax-free.<\/p>\n The Chiefs will enter the player market on November 1 ahead of their entry to the NRL competition in 2028. As an incentive for players and officials to sign, the governments of Australia and PNG have brokered a deal that will allow all earnings to remain untaxed.<\/p>\n Now there is an even bigger sweetener to shift to the Pacific nation, with third-party agreements (TPAs) also falling under the tax-free status, according to Australian Rugby League chairman Peter V\u2019landys. These deals won\u2019t be included in the salary cap.<\/p>\n \u201cAny revenue they earn in PNG is tax-free,\u201d V\u2019landys said. \u201cIt\u2019s like you\u2019re doing a tax return in PNG, it\u2019s all tax-free.<\/p>\n \u201cPlaying in PNG will set them up for life. We used to have the Brisbane Broncos as a one-city team. This is a one-country team, where people are fanatical about rugby league.<\/p>\n \u201cCan you imagine 10 million people following one team? It\u2019s a monopoly because it\u2019s the only sport that\u2019s played there. People don\u2019t realise how big PNG is going to be.\u201d<\/p>\n Justin Olam is an example of the third-party opportunities that exist in PNG. The former Storm and Tigers star had more than half a dozen personal sponsors \u2013 including ExxonMobil, Samsung, Ok Tedi Mining, Nasfund superannuation and the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority. All up, the former Storm centre earned in excess of $300,000 per annum in his pomp.<\/p>\n PNG\u2019s biggest firms will be clamouring to become a commercial partner of the new franchise, with those who miss out likely to turn their attention to individual player sponsorships opportunities.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a definite opportunity there because of the public interest in rugby league and the corporate support there,\u201d said Olam\u2019s manager, David Rawlings.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cIn particular, there would be lots of local businesses that would like to have some affiliation with the players. Everything in PNG is about having access to rugby league players.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"South](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2354b2f35b3e7481950e315e483d8b9ddf75d8f6.jpeg\")
South Sydney star Alex Johnston would be a marketer\u2019s dream if he signs with PNG.NRL Photos<\/p>\n![\"Kelma](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/33b8d5f6b99b051bfa19dea883e14803c61ba1db.jpeg\")
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