The 6 Papua New Guineans selected in a Super League Dream Team
From left to right: Nene Macdonald (Salford), Rhyse Martin (Leeds) and Adrian Lam (Wigan) in Super League action
Papua New Guinea internationals Nene Macdonald and Rhyse Martin became the latest Kumuls stars to be named in Super League’s Dream Team.
Salford Red Devils centre Macdonald and Leeds Rhinos forward Martin were named in the 2024 edition of the Super League Dream Team on Sunday afternoon.
The pair became the fifth and sixth members of the Super League Dream Team who have represented Papua New Guinea on the international stage. Love Rugby League has compiled the six-strong list below: and there are some legendary throwbacks.
Marcus Bai (2004, Leeds Rhinos)
Bai was an iconic figure in Super League, having played for Hull FC, Leeds and Bradford during his time in England.
The Ulamona-born winger’s most memorable spell came at Headingley, scoring 45 tries in 63 appearances for the Rhinos. The 12-time Kumuls international helped the Rhinos win the Super League title in 2004, and was named in the Dream Team that year, too.
Edwin Ipape (2023, Leigh Leopards)
Ipape came over to England in 2022 relatively unknown: but now he is a firm fans’ favourite at Leigh.
The Mount Hagen-born hooker has quickly developed into one of Super League’s premier number nines, and helped the Leopards lift the Challenge Cup at Wembley last year.
Ipape, who was named in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup’s Team of the Tournament, was selected in the 2023 Dream Team alongside four of his Leigh team-mates.
Adrian Lam (2001, 2002 and 2003, all Wigan Warriors)
The Rabaul-born half-back spent four seasons in Super League with Wigan between 2001 and 2004, and earned THREE selections in the annual Dream Team, having scored 44 tries in 119 appearances for the Warriors.
Lam represented the Kumuls as a player in the 1995 and 2000 World Cups before coaching his nation at the tournaments in 2008 and 2013.
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Lachlan Lam (2023, Leigh Leopards)
Lokie Lam made the move to England in 2022 to play under his father Adrian at Leigh: and he has since become one of Super League’s leading half-backs.
The 26-year-old, who was born in Australia but is of Papua New Guinean heritage through his father, has represented the Kumuls in the last two World Cups.
Lam won the Lance Todd Trophy in 2023 as he kicked the match-winning drop goal in the Challenge Cup final as the Leopards beat Hull KR under the famous Wembley arch.
Nene Macdonald (2024, Salford Red Devils)
The Port Moresby-born centre has been a masterstroke of a signing from Salford this year. He has been in sensational form for the Red Devils in 2024, and thoroughly deserves his place in the Dream Team alongside Wigan’s Jake Wardle in the centres.
Macdonald has represented his beloved Papua New Guinea in the last three World Cups, winning 16 caps for the Kumuls: and he could well make it a fourth World Cup in 2026.
Rhyse Martin (2024, Leeds Rhinos)
Martin has been one of the finest overseas signings in Super League in recent times, having scored 40 tries and kicked 440 goals in 132 appearances for Leeds since his arrival in England back in 2019.
The 31-year-old, who will be a Hull KR player in 2025, is one of the most accurate goal-kickers in Super League. He has won 15 caps for Papua New Guinea, playing in the last two World Cups.
