Salary cap exemption for Papua New Guinea players revealed Down Under

The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) has introduced an innovative policy to accelerate the development of Papua New Guinean players to ensure the sustainable success of the Port Moresby-based based NRL team who are expected to join the competition in 2028.

Under the new policy announced by the ARLC on Wednesday, NRL clubs will each be allowed to sign up to two “Papua New Guinea (PNG) Pathway Players” outside of the salary cap.

To qualify, players must have competed in junior rugby league competitions in Papua New Guinea.

The full salaries of selected players will be exempt from both the ‘Top 30 player’ and ‘Supplementary Cap’ restrictions.

In 2025, the ‘Top 30 player’ salary cap is set at $11.8 million, rising to $11.95 million in 2026 and then to $12.1 million in 2027 – the year before PNG enters the NRL.

“This is not about ticking boxes or creating token opportunities,” said ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys.

“The recent performance of the PNG schoolboys’ team, which drew 22-all with the strong Australian side, is a clear indicator of the talent emerging from the region.

“These young players will gain invaluable experience through increased exposure to the NRL system,” he said.

The new policy represents more than just a rule change – it’s a clear statement of intent – one which has the power the bolster the game of rugby league at large.

As the national sport of the Pacific Island country, PNG’s passion for rugby league long established.

The challenge in the growth of the sport has always been converting the raw talent the country produces into permanent professional opportunities.

Steps forward were made with the introduction of the Papua New Guinea Hunters, who formed in 2013, joining the Queensland Cup, a second-tier rugby league competition in Australia.

A feeder for the Dolphins NRL club in Brisbane, The Hunters have already proved a worthy investment, taking out the Queensland Cup final in 2017.

NRL clubs have scouted the Pacific for decades but often faced structural and financial hurdles to long-term investment.

By removing those barriers, the ARLC aims to create a genuine and sustainable pipeline of talent leading into the NRL’s next phase.

The ARLC hopes this initiative will not only benefit a handful of standout players, but nurture a whole generation of PNG athletes, aligning with broader strategic goals to enhance participation pathways throughout the Pacific.

“The talent is there. What’s needed now is opportunity,” V’landys said.

With the countdown to the 2028 expansion underway, the ARLC’s bold policy sets a strong foundation for a development-first model – one that could reshape the way the NRL connects with and supports its Pacific neighbours, as we grow this great game of ours.