Connor Watson has committed to the Papua New Guinea Chiefs on a two-year deal from 2028, making him the franchise's third signing and giving the expansion side another high-profile name well before its first season.
The move answers why his name is suddenly drawing attention: Watson is still contracted to the Sydney Roosters for next year, but he has been given permission to look elsewhere and is now expected to spend that season on a gap-year deal at another NRL club before heading to PNG. St George Illawarra is understood to be the most likely stopover, although no deal has been confirmed.
Watson's decision followed a recent tour of Port Moresby with his partner, led by Chiefs chief executive Lorna McPherson. After seeing the city, the pair committed to the franchise. The visit mattered because the Chiefs are not just chasing talent; they are selling a project, and Watson is one of the first major NRL players to buy in for the long term.
He joins Wests Tigers co-captain Jarome Luai and South Sydney winger Alex Johnston as the third headline recruit for the club. The Chiefs believe Watson's value goes beyond reputation. He can cover hooker, lock and several bench roles, and there is a view inside the club that his leadership will be just as useful as his versatility.
The timing also matters because the market is about to open up. The Chiefs expect to become a major player on November 1, when a slew of big names can become free agents, with several Penrith players likely to be among them if they do not re-sign first. Watson is part of that wider build, with the club already shaping a roster that could also include Scott Drinkwater, Keaon Koloamatangi, Luke Metcalf and Phillip Sami as 2027 recruits.
Behind the scenes, the Chiefs have also added former NRL and Super League forward Rhyse Martin as football operations manager. Martin represented the Bulldogs, Leeds and Hull KR, played 18 Tests for PNG and captained the Kumuls, another sign the club is leaning hard into people who know the national program as well as the local game.
For Watson, the path is now clear even if one step remains missing. He will likely spend next year elsewhere before arriving in Port Moresby in 2028, and the club he chooses for that stopover will tell as much about the market as the signature itself.
