Papua New Guinea’s rugby league development pathway is beginning to provide young players with a clearer route from grassroots football to the national stage.

That pathway was on display yesterday as the Junior Kumuls created history with an 18-10 victory over the Australian Schoolboys at Santos National Football Stadium.

The Junior Kumuls were led by a double from centre Jason Daniel, with the win highlighting the growing development of young players coming through PNG’s rugby league system.

Junior Kumuls head coach Joe Grima says the progress is evident in this year’s squad, with nine players coming through the PNG NRL Academy and National Youth Competition development system.

Coach Grima said many of the young players have already spent several years in the program, making the transition into the Junior Kumuls environment much smoother.

“This is the third year for a lot of these young men that have come out of that academy,” Grima said.

He said the structured development programs are helping players arrive at representative camps better prepared and able to build combinations with players coming through Australian-based systems.

The program has also expanded across Papua New Guinea, with Grima saying it now covers 14 provinces and 1,680 boys and girls across 14 regions, including six newly added regions.

He described the program as an important foundation for the country’s future rugby league players.

The pathway now stretches from junior development through competitions including the NYC, Santos Cup and Digicel ExxonMobil Cup, before progressing to the PNG Hunters, Orchids and Kumuls.

Grima said the planned arrival of the PNG Chiefs in 2028 will provide another potential pathway for young players.

He also pointed to former Junior Kumuls captains who have progressed into professional opportunities, saying the current crop can see that a place in the national junior team can be an important step in their careers.

For the players who took on the Australian Schoolboys, Grima said the opportunity was about more than just the result.

He said representatives from the rugby league system were also watching the young players and assessing their potential for future opportunities.

“The door’s open, they’ve just got to walk through it now,” Grima said.

The Junior Kumuls did just that, producing a determined performance to secure an historic 18-10 win and further highlight the talent coming through PNG’s rugby league pathway.