Greek Australian Willie Peters named inaugural head coach of PNG Chiefs

Willie Peters has been announced arsenic the inaugural caput manager of the NRL’s Papua New Guinea enlargement team.

The 47-year-old Greek Australian bushed chap candidates Adrian Lam, Jason Demetriou and Brad Arthur successful the contention to take complaint of the Chiefs when they participate the contention successful 2028.

Peters has go 1 of the astir sought-after coaches successful world rugby league amid an inspirational stint with English Super League broadside Hull KR.

His acquisition allows the NRL’s forthcoming 19th team to statesman gathering their inaugural roster for 2028, though they tin presently lone target players whose contracts expire aft 2026.

A journeyman halfback of the 1990s and 2000s astatine teams such arsenic South Sydney and St George Illawarra, Peters has recovered tremendous success since taking the reins astatine English Super League battlers Hull KR successful 2023.

He guided the nine to their archetypal expansive last of the Super League epoch successful 2024, earlier winning some the Challenge Cup and Super League title past year.

Peters led Hull KR to victory implicit NRL premiers Brisbane successful the 2026 World Club Challenge.

His coaching resume besides includes stints arsenic an adjunct astatine NRL sides Manly, South Sydney and Newcastle.

Peters said helium ever had an ambition to manager successful the NRL and was excited that it would beryllium arsenic the instauration manager of the Chiefs.

“I judge that what we physique with the PNG Chiefs tin alteration the lives of Papua New Guineans for generations to come,” Peters said.

“Not galore coaches get an accidental similar that. This accidental transcends rugby league.

“I person tremendous respect for the vision Prime Minister James Marape has for his state and what helium believes the PNG Chiefs tin mean for his people. That moved maine and my family.

“I want to honour that vision. I want to beryllium worthy of the religion the NRL and the Chiefs person placed successful me, and I want to present something that makes each Papua New Guinean proud.”

The Chiefs’ impending introduction into the NRL is considered a landmark step for rugby league’s maturation successful PNG, where the sport already enjoys fanatical support.

The Australian authorities is tipping successful $600 cardinal implicit 10 years to prop the team up, with the PNG ministry securing lodging for players and staff.

Earlier this month, the Australian Rugby League Commission confirmed players and staff would beryllium based astatine 67 recently constructed units connected the grounds of the Airways edifice successful Port Moresby from November 2027.

Players and staff will bask tax-free salaries successful an effort to lure Antipodean talent to the project, which is seen arsenic a method for the Australian authorities to strengthen ties successful the Pacific.

With AAP