PNG Rugby Stars Shine in UK, Eye Historic NRL Entry

Papua New Guinea's rugby league stars Morea Morea, Gairo Voro, and Finlay Glare are making waves in the UK with the London Broncos. These players, alongside their coach Jason Demetriou, shared insights into their UK success and historic signings with the PNG Chiefs, Papua New Guinea's first NRL franchise, in the latest NASFUND PC Podcast.

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Any coach who gets an opportunity to be a head coach and build something from scratch is going to go to people that he trusts.

Demetriou, who also coaches the PNG Kumuls, handpicked the trio for the London Broncos, emphasizing his trust in their abilities. He aimed to showcase the depth of talent from PNG to a UK audience. While Papua New Guinean players are known for their toughness, Demetriou noted this group brings exceptional skill in crucial positions like fullback, halfback, and hooker, combining traditional grit with speed and intelligence.

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while Papua New Guinean players have historically been respected for their unmatched toughness, this current crop brings a completely different dimension to the northern hemisphere by playing in the crucial spine positions at hooker, halfback, or fullback.

The trio's impact in the Betfred Championship has been significant. Morea Morea Jnr has scored 29 tries, Gairo Voro has 25 tries in 20 games, and Finlay Glare has contributed 14 tries in 13 appearances. Voro recently set a club record with a 44-point individual performance. Glare, described as the squad's spark plug, has impressed with his creative playmaking and quick passes, earning praise from Demetriou as one of the league's most exciting young hookers.

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I didn’t even know I had broken the record until being informed after the match.