How Peters' PNG appointment vindicates tax-free money incentive

SEN’s Blake Austin believes Willie Peters’ appointment as coach of the PNG Chiefs is proof the tax-free incentive will attract star players to the franchise.

Peters is set to be confirmed as the inaugural coach of the NRL’s 19th franchise, reportedly telling his players at Hull KR he had accepted the position.

Since before the official announcement of the club, concerns have risen around the franchise’s ability to attract players to Papua New Guinea, let alone decent enough players to make the side competitive.

However, Austin sees the impending announcement of Peters as proof the tax-free benefits will ensure the Chiefs sign quality players, with rumours suggesting Peters’ could be paid up to $2 million tax-free to head up the NRL’s most ambitious side.

“If you needed any indication of what level in the decision-making… the tax-free incentive is going to play, this is a perfect example,” Austin said on SEN NRL Crunch Time.

“I think Willie Peters strikes me as a guy that is very sure about where he wants to go, and I reckon he would've had it planned out. Let me tell you, I don't think the PNG Chiefs were anywhere near his plan.

“I reckon there's a part of him that says, ‘you know what, the PNG franchise, it's a bit of a free hit’.

“I get to jump in the hot seat; I get to see what it's all about. If it does fail, and my coaching fails, I reckon there will be a little bit of a sentiment of, ‘well, that thing was always set up to fail, so we can't really hang Willie out to dry’.

“That's what I mean when I say I think it's a bit of a free hit.

“I would've loved to have seen him stay a little more patient. We know that there's other clubs under pressure.

“He's been at Souths before. I would've loved to have seen him get back in that organisation.

“He must be getting somewhere near a million bucks, and if you're talking tax-free for that, how could you turn it down for a free hit in the hot seat?

“I reckon we got the first little taste of just what kind of sway the money can have.”

Several first-grade players have already indicated an interest in chatting with the PNG franchise, including Broncos’ star Pat Carrigan, Cronulla’s Toby Rudolf, and the game’s greatest try-scorer, Alex Johnston.

However, signing quality players is one thing, making them successful in the face of additional security, living, and travel challenges, is its own beast.

SEN’s Jimmy Smith believes that, should Peters deliver anything to PNG better than a wooden spoon in his first year, it will have been a success.

“Last week I was encouraging him not to take it because of all the reasons associated with it,” Smith told NRL Crunch Time.

“It's his first chance. You wanna make sure that everything is going to fall into place as much as you possibly can.

“He has taken on arguably the greatest challenge in the history of rugby league, and there's a reason you do that.

“Any higher than stone cold motherless last is a really good performance from the coach.”

The PNG Chiefs are due to enter the competition in 2028, meaning they can negotiate with players from November 1.