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Tongan Star Isaiya Katoa Breaks Scoring Record

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Isaiya Katoa in action during the Tonga national team rugby league training session at Nudgee College in Brisbane.

Tonga’s 21-year-old halfback, Isaiya Katoa, has already broken the national all-time point-scoring record, with potentially a decade or more left in his career.

​The young playmaker, widely regarded as a top talent, heads into Tonga’s Pacific Cup match against Samoa at Suncorp Stadium with an impressive record. According to NRL statistician David Middleton, whose records date back to 1995, Katoa leads the way with 67 points across nine Test matches (two tries, 29 goals, and one field goal).

​”I have Isaiya out in front of Siosiua Taukeiaho on 60 points, from two tries and 26 goals.”

Middleton also noted Katoa’s longevity.

​”He will be around for a while too. He is coming up to 10 Tests and he is only 21.”

Tonga co-captain Jason Taumalolo praised Katoa’s maturity, recalling his performance during the 2022 World Cup.

​”We knew how mature he was when he was doing school exams at the 2022 World Cup.”

“To go from that to where he is now speaks volumes for what kind of player Izzy is.”

​Taumalolo expressed confidence in Katoa’s dominant playing style and leadership for such a young player.

​”The feature of Izzy this year, and looking ahead, is for a young half to be so dominant. You don’t see many halves come through and play the way he does.”

“I am sure the boys are confident going into this game having Izzy alongside them steering the ship. Whatever Izzy says, goes.”

​Coach Kristian Woolf believes Katoa will be even better in this year’s Pacific Cup after his best NRL season with the Dolphins. Woolf was impressed with Katoa’s dedication and preparation for the Tests.

​”I know he’s really hungry to get into this camp.”

“We watched a little bit of video and had a bit of a chat about how we want to play.”

“You could just tell in the way he spoke and how engaged he was that he’d been thinking about it well before I had, so he’s ready to go.”

​Woolf credits last season’s high-level experience for his expected improvement.

​”I think last year’s (Pacific Cup) series gave him a lot of confidence in what he can do at such a high level against Australia in two games and against the Kiwis as well.”

“I just know that he’s coming in so much more confident, so better prepared.”

“He’s going to be a better player again, and I’m sure he’ll get more confidence out of this series as well.”

Source: Australian Associated Press

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Sport

Ben Hunt Finally Lifts the Trophy for Brisbane Broncos

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Adam Reynolds (left) Ben Hunt of the Broncos celebrate winnin the NRL Grand Final match between the Brisbane Broncos and the Melbourne Storm at Accor Stadium in Sydney.

Brisbane Broncos, veteran Ben Hunt can finally sleep soundly. After years of carrying the weight of a past mistake, the ultimate redemption story culminated in a premiership ring on Sunday.

Following the thrilling 26-22 Grand Final victory over the Melbourne Storm, the 35-year-old looked like a man who had shed a giant burden forever.

Many PNG fans remember the heartbreak of the 2015 Grand Final.

In that devastating 17-16 loss to the North Queensland Cowboys, it was Hunt who dropped the crucial kick-off in golden-point extra-time. For a decade, he wondered if he would ever make it back to the big stage to make amends.

He did get back, and he got the job done.

So, how many sleepless nights did he endure in the interim?

“I can’t count them. There were plenty,” Hunt said in the jubilant Broncos dressing room.

“I’ve dreamt of this moment for the last 10 years. I really have. It’s taken 350-plus games but it is all worth it. It really is. All the hard yards … the family, friends and coaches that have put time into me over the years, it’s a little bit of repayment for them.”

Hunt admitted he tried to keep his focus only on the game, but the emotional floodgates opened at the siren.

“I hadn’t thought too much about the redemption side of it. I just tried to focus on this game really but now that’s it is done and has sunk in, it is a weight off the shoulders,” he said.

“It’s okay for me to talk about the 2015 grand final now because we have moved on and got another one.”

“When the siren went, it instantly hit me like a ton of bricks.”

Broncos coach Michael Maguire summed up the sentiments of the entire rugby league world about five-eighth Hunt’s title dream finally being realised.

“Benny Hunt in 2015 … he had a tough moment in the grand final. To be able to give him a hug after that was a special moment because I know what players go through,” Maguire said.

“They get beaten up at times and the critics don’t miss them.”

“To see a smile on his face and just sitting in the changing room with the players with just a grin from ear to ear, it’s bloody unreal.”

Hunt said his move to rejoin the Broncos where he made his debut, after linking with St George Illawarra for seven turbulent seasons, was “probably the best decision I ever made.”

The veteran had to watch the final tense moments from the sidelines after being concussed with eight minutes to go. His halves partner, fellow 35-year-old Adam Reynolds, was right there with him after he was replaced with a calf injury in the 49th minute.

“It was one of those head knocks where it hits you flush. I knew I was stumbling,” Hunt said.

“I couldn’t get my legs under me but I had my wits about me. I definitely didn’t have on my bingo card that me and Reyno would be on the sideline with a couple of minutes to go, that’s for sure.”

“I went back out with about three minutes to go and it was a long bloody three minutes.”

Reynolds and Hunt embraced immediately after full-time. The two old mates came together in what Reynolds jokingly called “a nursing home” moment full of emotion.

“Ben deserves it probably more than anyone. He has been through his ups and downs,” Reynolds said.

“To see him get this moment at full-time and embrace him was certainly a career highlight.”

“We have both been through a lot over the last couple of years and when he came back to the club it was all about trying to achieve this dream.”

Source: Australian Associated Press

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News

Meth on the Rise, Parents Alarmed, Hospital Raises Capacity Concerns

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Port Moresby residents are raising concerns about the growing presence of methamphetamine, commonly known as “meth,” in their communities.

Parents in several suburbs told InsidePNG they fear the drug is now reaching young people and causing worrying changes in behavior.

One mother from Gerehu said she has noticed teenagers staying up for long hours at night and becoming restless during the day.

“We grew up with marijuana around us, but this one looks different. The children don’t sleep, they don’t eat, and they change so quickly,” she said.

Community leaders in Hohola and Boroko shared similar fears, saying conversations about meth are now more common than before.

“In the last year or two, parents keep telling us about something new and more dangerous. It’s spreading fast,” a youth leader explains.

There are serious concerns about the health effects on users and the capacity of PNG’s healthcare system to provide rehabilitation. InsidePNG spoke with Dr. Ludwig Nanawar, acting CEO of Laloki Psychiatric Hospital, who said the country’s health system is not ready to cope with a surge in hard-drug use.

“The hospital lacks the capacity, from the necessary drug rehabilitation centers that offer counselling and reintegration programs trained professionals for rehabilitation, to the necessary medicines specific to treating meth and other hard drug abuse. We are already stretched, and we cannot handle a major influx of patients,” Dr. Nanawar said.

Health workers warn that meth is far more addictive than marijuana and can cause serious long-term damage.

“It changes how the brain works, it leads to aggression, sleeplessness, and even mental illness,” one Port Moresby-based medical officer said.

With no formal rehabilitation centers in Papua New Guinea dedicated to meth addiction, families say they feel helpless.

“We can talk to our children, but if they’re hooked on it, where do we take them for help? We are very worried,” another parent told InsidePNG.

Parents and leaders are now calling on authorities to increase awareness and strengthen policing against the flow of meth into communities. They fear that without action, a generation of young Papua New Guineans could be at risk.

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News

KPHL’s K3.3M Sponsorship is a Game-Changer for the Kumuls

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The PNG national men’s rugby league team, the PNG LNG Kumuls, has a huge boost for its international season.

Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited (KPHL) announced on Wednesday a three-year renewal of its platinum sponsorship, worth K3.3 million.

This funding is critical for the Kumuls’ international campaign, which includes the annual Prime Minister’s XIII and the Pacific Championships. According to PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) CEO, Stanley Hondina, the sponsorship is vital for managing the team.

“To assemble a national team like the Kumuls with most of its players playing overseas is a costly exercise,” Hondina said.

He added that the sponsorship will go a long way in assisting with travel, accommodation, playing & training gear, back-office support and administration.

The renewed partnership ensures the Kumuls can focus on their upcoming matches.

They’re set to play Australia in the Prime Minister’s XIII on October 12, followed by the Pacific Bowl Championships against the Cook Islands on October 25 and Fiji on November 1.

Wapu Sonk, KPHL’s Managing Director, said the company was happy to renew the sponsorship, reaffirming its commitment to “national pride, youth development and community engagement.

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International

Lessons from the Pacific: Australia Reflects 80 Years After WWII

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Eighty years after the end of World War II, Australians have paused to reflect on the sacrifices made for peace. Commemorations for Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day were held across the nation on Friday, honoring those who served and fell.

In Melbourne, Maureen Bell proudly wore her father Bert Jones’s war medals at the Shrine of Remembrance. She recalled her dad, who served in New Guinea, often telling funny stories to ease the pain of his experiences.

“He said he was called Screamer because they would play AFL football in New Guinea,” she reminisced, later learning the nickname was due to his loud personality.

Despite her pride, Ms. Bell expressed a somber view on the state of the world today.

“It’s important to honor those that have gone before us and made incredible sacrifices,” she said.

“But we don’t seem to learn from it. We keep doing it unfortunately.”

At the Sydney service, Phil Ward honored his father, a survivor of internment and the Burma railway. He described the commemorations as a moment of “enduring gratitude” for those who defended freedom.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to the nearly one million Australians who served, 40,000 of whom never returned. He called the war a “nightmare made real” by human beings.

RSL Victoria President Mark Schroffel noted the sorrow that accompanies the victory, remembering the “unsung heroes who never returned home.”

He emphasized the importance of preserving their memory, stating, “Nobody really wins.”

Australia played a vital role in the Pacific theater, initially fighting in Malaya and Singapore before focusing on the defense of the mainland after the bombing of Darwin in 1942.

Federal Veterans’ Affairs Minister Matt Keogh described VP Day as marking the end of “the most devastating global conflict in human history.”

Source: Australian Associated Press

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News

PNG’s District Development Funds: A Crisis of Secrecy

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A new report by the advocacy group ACT NOW! PNG reveals a systemic and widespread failure of transparency and accountability across Papua New Guinea’s 96 District Development Authorities (DDAs).

The second annual DDA Watch Report, covering the period from July 2024 to June 2025, paints a grim picture of “persistent secrecy” despite nearly K2 billion in annual government funding intended for service improvement and infrastructure grants.

The findings highlight a critical disconnect between rising public investment and a lack of basic oversight and public access to information.

According to Cathy Tukne, Information Coordinator for ACT NOW!, transparency should be non-negotiable.

“Without public plans, budgets, audits, and inspections, how can communities trust their development funds are well spent?”

The report’s key findings highlight a profound communication and accountability crisis:

Bar Graph documenting findings of District Development Authorities
  • Development Plans Remain Secret: While 37 DDAs have launched their five-year development plans (2022-2027), an increase of 16 from the previous year, a staggering 61% of districts still lack one. More concerning, only nine districts have made their plans publicly accessible. Geographically, the disparity is stark: Western Province and Bougainville boast 100% coverage, while entire provinces like Western Highlands, Madang, West Sepik, and Manus have no district plans at all.
  • Acquittal Reports Go Unpublished: Of the 72 DDAs that submitted their 2024 financial acquittals to the Department of Implementation and Rural Development (DIRD), only one, Talasea DDA in West New Britain, published its report. The report notes that 24 DDAs failed to submit their 2024 reports, and 35 are still outstanding from 2023.
  • Audits Are Non-Existent: For the second consecutive year, not a single audit report for any DDA was published. The Auditor-General’s Office cited “capacity constraints” as a key barrier, a finding that raises serious questions about the financial health and integrity of district-level spending.
  • Budgets Shrouded in Secrecy: The report found that 94% of districts are operating without a publicly disclosed budget. Only six DDAs announced a 2025 budget, and none of these were made public. This lack of transparency means citizens have no way of knowing how their tax money is being allocated or spent.
  • No Public Oversight on Projects: Despite DIRD’s mandate to monitor fund usage, no inspection reports on DSIP/DIP projects are publicly available. This failure to publish reports effectively shields project implementation from public scrutiny and accountability.

The report also detailed a communication crisis, with most DDAs being effectively unreachable by the public.

While 92 districts now have a named CEO, only seven have a working email address, and just 20 have a public phone number. The digital footprint is nearly non-existent, with only six DDAs maintaining an active website.

In response to these findings, ACT NOW! has issued a series of urgent “Calls to Action.” The group is advocating for the suspension of funds to districts without public plans or acquittals, and for action under the Leadership Code against officials who fail to publish required documents.

They also call for an expansion of the Auditor-General’s capacity to audit all 96 DDAs annually and for DIRD to step up its monitoring and reporting of projects.

The ACT NOW! report serves as a wake-up call, highlighting that despite increased funding, the foundations of good governance, transparency and accountability, are failing at the district level, undermining the potential for genuine development and citizen empowerment across Papua New Guinea.

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Sport

PNG Barramundis Receive Home Support in Guernsey Ahead of Jersey Tour

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The Papua New Guinea (PNG) Barramundis national cricket team recently concluded a series of three trial matches in Guernsey, part of their preparation for the upcoming Jersey Tour.

The warm-up fixtures were seen as a success, with the team sharpening their skills and building momentum for the international campaign.

A highlight of the Guernsey stopover was the unexpected support from a Papua New Guinean family living on the island.

For three days, Mr. Vele, his wife Elizabeth, and their son Genailiwa Kaiulo cheered on the team, proudly flying the PNG colours from the stands.

In a gesture of thanks, Barramundis batsman Kipling Doriga presented a team training shirt to the family on Monday, August 18, 2025, their final day in Guernsey.

Head Coach John Ovia noted the positive impact the support had on the players.

“The boys got excited when they saw PNG colours supporting them on,” Ovia said.

“It means a lot to carry the colours of the country and to have fans abroad. We thank the Kaiulo family for their support, especially little champion Genailiwa Kaiulo.”

The Barramundis are now focused on the Jersey Tour, where they will compete in a series of international fixtures.

The team is confident that the trial matches in Guernsey have prepared them for a strong performance.

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Rugby League

Bulldogs Warned to Fix “Comfortable” Mindset

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Bulldogs’ Viliame Kikau and captain Stephen Crichton are calling for the team to fix its “too comfortable” mindset as they head into the final stretch of the season.

The Bulldogs have had an up-and-down month, alternating between strong wins over Manly and the Warriors and disappointing losses to the Tigers and Roosters.

This inconsistency, according to Kikau, comes from a lack of effort.

“Just some of the areas that we pride ourselves on, all the effort areas, that came up a few times,” Kikau said after reviewing the loss to the Roosters.

“That’s been addressed and hopefully it doesn’t happen again.”

Crichton agreed that the problem is mental, not physical.

“It’s kind of tapping into that mindset, where your mindset was in those two good games and where that mindset was in the two bad games,” he said.

The Bulldogs’ season will be defined by the next seven weeks, not the past seven months, Crichton warned.

“We were playing really good footy at the start of the year but no one remembers what happens at the start of the year. It’s where we are right now and the opportunity right in front of us is very special.”

The team’s senior players are taking charge to ensure there is no complacency when they face the Storm.

“As leaders of the group, we try and address it straight away so we don’t get that in the team,” Kikau said.

“Hopefully there’s none this week.”

Source: Australian Associated Press

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Cricket

Lewas Ready for T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Fiji

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The PNG Lewas have been announced as Papua New Guinea’s representatives for the East Asia Pacific (EAP) T20 World Cup Qualifier in Fiji, set to take place from September 7-15.

The winning team will earn a spot in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier.

The 14-player squad is captained by Brenda Tau and coached by Mahuru Dai.

According to Cricket PNG Chairman Michael Harrison, the team is well-prepared and carries “the hopes of the nation.”

“Our preparation has been good. We have been training for nine weeks… I am sure the PNG Lewas are ready to play for the tournament, and we are all looking forward which I am very confident that this team will deliver a strong performance in Fiji,” Coach Dai commented on the team’s preparations.

The Lewas will face teams from Fiji, Cook Islands, Indonesia, Samoa, Japan, Vanuatu, and the Philippines.

The team will first travel to Brisbane on August 31 for a week of practice matches before heading to Fiji on September 7.

Their campaign begins on September 9 at Albert Park, Suva.

PNG Lewas Squad:

1. Brenda Tau (Captain)

2. Noani Vare

3. Melanie Ani

4. Erani Pokana

5. Pauke Siaka

6. Henao Thomas

7. Lakshmi Rajadurai

8. Hollan Doriga

9. Hane Lohia

10. Dika Lohia

11. Isabel Toua

12. Geua Tom

13. Konio Oala

14. Mairi Tom

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Regional News

Samoa-Taufua: The Family Pride Behind Payne Haas’s Rugby League World Cup Dream

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In a powerful display of cultural and family pride, Brisbane Broncos powerhouse Payne Haas has revealed the deeply personal reason behind his decision to represent Samoa on the international stage.

The 25-year-old, a four-time representative for the Australian Kangaroos, spoke at Suncorp Stadium about the moment that cemented his choice: the anthems played before a clash with Samoa during the 2023 Pacific Championships.

“There was a moment when I played for Australia when we versed Samoa, the anthems were playing and my mind started racing back to lots of memories with my mum and her making us sing the national anthem of Samoa a lot in the back of the car,” Haas said, a red Samoan ula resting on his shoulders.

“From that moment onwards I wanted to play for Samoa and represent my mum’s side, the Taufua side, and make them proud and my grandparents as well.”

The journey to don the blue of Samoa is a full-circle moment for Haas, who was inspired by his uncle, Mark Taufua, a former Samoan Test player and now a staff member with the team.

“He played for Toa Samoa as well. I remember watching him do the Siva Tau (war dance) and I always wanted to do it,” Haas said.

“We used to always do it in front of the TV. So I get my moment now to play for Samoa, something I always wanted to do. I’m just privileged and blessed.”

Haas, who also has Filipino and Swiss heritage, said his mother, Joan Taufua, gave him her full blessing for the switch.

“It was more my mum and having her blessing. I spoke to her on the phone and she was all for it,” he said.

“To have my mother’s blessing means the world. I just want to make her proud and do our Taufua name proud.”

His decision has been met with respect, even from his former Australian coach. Haas said he spoke with Kevin Walters, who “took the news ‘well’ and understood his reasoning.”

With other top players like Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow reportedly considering a similar move, Haas offered a simple message to them: “Follow their heart.”

“Hopefully we get a few more boys over,” he said.

Haas is set to make his debut for Toa Samoa in the Pacific Cup against Tonga at Suncorp Stadium on October 26. He acknowledged the trailblazing efforts of Jason Taumalolo, who switched from New Zealand to Tonga in 2017 and changed the international landscape.

“He is someone that inspired me to make this move as well,” Haas said.

“I feel like versing Tonga here is just fitting. It is going to be massive. I can’t wait.”

The Pacific Cup is just the beginning. The ultimate goal for Haas and the Samoan squad is the Rugby League World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Australia and Papua New Guinea in 2026.

“I feel like we can win it with the team we have got now,” Haas stated confidently.

“We have great players and it is our goal to win the World Cup.”

Source: Australian Associated Press

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