The Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea have named NRL and Super League players in their men’s squads for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup (RLWC), which kicks off in Australia next week.
Following in the footsteps of fellow Pacific Island neighbours Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, both the Cook Islands and PNG have turned to their tested players to lead their campaigns at the world meet.
Former Kangaroo Valentine Holmes will debut for the Cook Islands as the Aitu look to perform a miracle against Australia, Fiji and New Zealand in Pool A.
Holmes has been named alongside co-captains KL Iro and Marata Niukore, winning NRL grand finalists Rhys Dakin and Makahesi Makatoa of the Sydney Roosters, plus Reuben Porter of St George Illawarra Dragons.
PNG on the other hand have included a number of NRL and Super League players, but are missing the NRL’s top tryscorer Alex Johnston, who is out injured.
The PNG Kumuls kick off their campaign against Lebanon in Port Moresby on Saturday, 17 October, while Cook Islands face Fiji in their opener in Newcastle on Sunday, 18 October.
NRL influence
The experience of Holmes, Iro and Niukore will be something the Aitu will be relying on to guide them through in their pool matches.
Rated the pool of death, the top two finishes from Cook Islands, Fiji, Australia and New Zealand will make it to the semi-finals.
Missing Brendan Piakura, who has played for the nation previously but is unavailable for this World Cup as he grapples with a career-threatening string of concussions that left him sidelined at the Brisbane Broncos during the second half of the NRL season, Cook Islands, like Fiji, will have the tougher road to follow against the top two teams in the world.
The Cook Islands qualified for the tournament by beating South Africa last year.
Their campaign schedule is set, meeting Fiji up first on 18 October, before clashing with New Zealand in Christchurch on 25 October, and then Australia in Townsville.
Head coach Karmichael Hunt, who revealed the squad on Tuesday, had told the media following their world cup qualification last November, the side will be going in as ‘giant killers’.
Hunt said then that he and his players aren’t just satisfied with qualifying for the world cup.
“This is what we wanted to do for our country,” Hunt told NRL.com in November 2025.
“We are playing at the highest level and all we have been talking about is representing with pride.
“Now we can move forward to next year and hopefully go and take some scalps in the World Cup. That’s what our ancestors did.”
Cook Islands squad: Cameron Brown (Brisbane Tigers), Rhys Dakin (Sydney Roosters), Glassie Glassie (Wests Tigers), Valentine Holmes (St George Illawarra Dragons), Esom Ioka (Brisbane Tigers), KL Iro (Captain – Cronulla Sharks), Chaev Kolone (Canberra Raiders), Makahesi Makatoa (Sydney Roosters), Esan Marsters (Bradford Bulls), Amare Milford (Melbourne Storm), Davvy Moale (Melbourne Storm), K-CI Newton-Whare (Melbourne Storm), Rua Ngatikaura (North Sydney Bears), Marata Niukore (c) (New Zealand Warriors), Pride Petterson-Robati (Souths Logan Magpies), Reuben Porter (St George Illawarra Dragons), Reubenn Rennie (Toulouse Olympique), Brad Takairangi (Glebe Dirty Reds), Mason Teague (Wakefield Trinity), David Tuariki (Melbourne Storm), Paul Ulberg (Toulouse Olympique), Delahia Wigmore (Penrith Panthers), Maui Winitana-Patelesio (New Zealand Warriors)
Mix of experience
The PNG Kumuls have a good mix of NRL, Super League and Hunters players in their squad, revealed by head coach Jason Demetriou on Tuesday evening.
Departing Parramatta Eels forward Jack de Belin and debutant outside back Josh Feledy lead the NRL influence in the squad, which will face Lebanon, England and Samoa.
Joining de Belin from the NRL are North Queensland Cowboys’ duo Robert Derby and Zac Laybutt, Manly Sea Eagles’ Feledy and Luca Moretti of the Parramatta Eels.
There are players also from the Hostplus Cup competition, including Dudley Dotoi of the Townsville Blackhawks, Central Queensland Capras duo Zev John and Nixon Putt and Brisbane Tigers Sylvester Namo.
Hunters duo Sanny Wabo and Khaiya Waiembi are also in the squad.
Super League experience comes via coach Demetriou’s London Broncos club, who have five players in Robert Mathias, Morea Morea Jnr, Finley Glare, Gairo Voro and Epel Kapinias.
Three Super League clubs are represented too, with Liam Horne and Edwin Ipape as Leigh Leopards’ reps, while retiring Hull KR forward Rhyse Martin also features in the squad for the last time.
St Helens centre Nene Macdonald, a mainstay of the Kumuls in recent years, is also included.
But a major setback is the unavailability of Alex Johnston, the NRL’s greatest-ever try-scorer.
He has been out injured and did not complete the NRL season for South Sydney.
PNG will open their campaign with a clash against Lebanon, before taking on Samoa, with both games in Port Moresby.
They will meet England in their final pool game in Wollongong.
PNG Kumuls squad: Jack de Belin (Parramatta Eels), Robert Derby (North Queensland Cowboys), Dudley Dotoi (Townsville Blackhawks), Josh Feledy (Manly Sea Eagles), Finley Glare (London Broncos), Liam Horne (Leigh Leopards), Edwin Ipape (Leigh Leopards), Zev John (Central Queensland Capras), Epel Kapinias (London Broncos), Bailey Biondi-Odo (Townsville Blackhawks), Zac Laybutt (North Queensland Cowboys), Nene Macdonald (St Helens Saints), Rhyse Martin (Hull KR), Robert Mathias (London Broncos), Morea Morea Jnr (London Broncos), Luca Moretti (Parramatta Eels), Sylvester Namo (Brisbane Tigers), Nixon Putt (Central Queensland Capras), Rodrick Tai (Central Queensland Capras), Valentine Richard (PNG Hunters), Gairo Voro (London Broncos), Sanny Wabo (PNG Hunters), Khaiya Waiembi (PNG Hunters)
Shadow players: Alex Max (London Broncos), Kyle Laybutt (Townsville Blackhawks), Jacob Taulani (Newcastle Knights)
