The PNG Chiefs are already able to offer players tax-free salaries to make the move to the new franchise — and they have another trump card up their sleeve.
According to the SMH, players earnings from third parties will also reportedly be exempt from being taxed as per Australian Rugby League commission chairman Peter V’landys.
Those deals also will not be included in the salary cap in a huge boost for the PNG club, who are set to enter the NRL in 2028, a year after the Perth Bears.
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“Any revenue they earn in PNG is tax-free,” V’landys said.
“It’s like you’re doing a tax return in PNG, it’s all tax-free.
“Playing in PNG will set them up for life. We used to have the Brisbane Broncos as a one-city team. This is a one-country team, where people are fanatical about rugby league.
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“Can you imagine 10 million people following one team? It’s a monopoly because it’s the only sport that’s played there.
“People don’t realise how big PNG is going to be.”
If the Chiefs offered a marquee player a salary of $1.5 million, and he earned $400,000 in sponsorships — the earnings would be equivalent to that of a $3.5 million salary after tax in Australia.
“There’s still a lot of haters knocking PNG, but they have no vision,” V’landys said.
Third-party deals have been incredibly lucrative for former Storm and Tigers centre Justin Olam, who was reportedly earning $300,000 from deals in PNG at the peak of his powers.
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Those deals included Samsung and the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority among others, while Olam’s manager David Rawlings making it clear there it money to be made.
“There’s a definite opportunity there because of the public interest in rugby league and the corporate support there,” Rawlings said.
“In particular, there would be lots of local businesses that would like to have some affiliation with the players. Everything in PNG is about having access to rugby league players.”
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