Former Sydney Roosters star Joey Manu has been confirmed as the PNG Chiefs' highly anticipated seventh signing, with the two-time premiership winner locking in a two-year deal that will see him return to the NRL ahead of the competition's 2028 season.
The Chiefs had been building suspense around the announcement for weeks, using a staircase at their home base to display each new signing — with the "007" slot conspicuously marked as "reserved." That mystery has now been resolved, with Manu stepping into the role after a rugby union detour that took him first to Japan and then to French club Racing 92.
A world-class addition to an enviable backline
Chiefs general manager Michael Chammas said the club was delighted to secure a player of Manu's calibre. "He is a world-class footballer with versatility across several positions and can change a game in a single moment with the skills he possesses," Chammas said. "His experience and demonstrated success at the highest level will be a great benefit to our team and we can't wait to see him have a significant impact in the Chiefs jersey."
Manu brings an impressive résumé to Port Moresby. Across 181 NRL appearances — all with the Roosters — he was part of the club's back-to-back premiership sides in 2018 and 2019. He was awarded the Dally M centre of the year honour in 2022 and later that same year claimed the Golden Boot as the sport's finest international player. Equally dangerous in the centres, at fullback or slotting into the halves, Manu is precisely the kind of versatile talent expansion clubs covet.
He joins a squad that already features Jarome Luai, Alex Johnston, Connor Watson, Zac Lomax, Brian To'o and English prop Matty Lees — a collection of talent that shapes as one of the more exciting rosters the NRL has seen assembled before a team has played a single game. The Chiefs' earlier signings have already drawn widespread praise from rugby league identities, and Manu's addition only deepens that excitement.
All Blacks dream likely over as rugby union contract runs its course
The signing does carry a personal cost for the 30-year-old New Zealand representative. Manu had long harboured ambitions of pulling on the All Blacks jersey, but New Zealand Rugby's eligibility policy requires players to be based domestically to be considered for selection. His current deal with Racing 92 runs until the end of 2027, and by the time his two-year Chiefs contract concludes he will be 33 — effectively ending any realistic pathway to the black jersey.
When Manu departed the NRL following the Roosters' 2024 finals campaign, he was careful not to commit to a return to league. Speculation had long suggested that if he did come back, it would be with the Roosters — the club that scouted him as a teenager. Instead, he becomes the latest marquee name attached to the NRL's incoming 19th franchise. His French contract had been seen as a potential complication, but clearly proved no barrier to a deal being finalised.
What comes next for the Chiefs' roster
PNG cannot officially enter the open market until November 1, but there is no shortage of names being connected to the club ahead of that date. Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary — who had been widely speculated as the Chiefs' "007" pick — remains a possibility, along with Gold Coast utility AJ Brimson and Canberra second-rower Hudson Young, both State of Origin players.
Other big names without contracts beyond the 2027 season include Isaah Yeo, Latrell Mitchell and Bradman Best — household names who could yet find their way to Port Moresby. The Chiefs' ability to offer tax-free salaries gives them a significant financial edge in recruitment conversations, and based on the calibre of signings unveiled so far, they appear to be making full use of it.
