It comes as ARL boss Peter V'landys is hoping to reveal in the coming weeks that a side based in Perth, the Western Bears, is to be the 19th team to join the NRL, after the PNG franchise.

This masthead can reveal the PNG government will bankroll a historic ... as either the 18th or 19th team, and as part of the $600 million growth plan backed by the Australian Federal government ...

A move to be the face of the new NRL franchise in PNG would likely make the Panthers superstar the highest paid player in the history of rugby league. The four-time NRL premiership winner is signed ...