Rhyse Martin. A name foreign to most rugby league fans, but it’s one every footy fan should learn because they’re going to hear it a lot more.
Martin, a rangy backrower, starred for the Papua New Guinea in their opening 50-6 demolition of Wales, scoring two tries, 27 tackles, kicked 5 goals and broke the line twice. He even put in a perfectly weighted grubber for winger Justin Olam to score.
Martin has been in and around NRL systems for years now, coming through the Roosters SG Ball side in 2011 before graduating to the Holden Cup squad for two seasons. While he featured in the Roosters NRL squad the following year, though he failed to crack first grade.
Born in Cairns, Martin returned to Queensland with the Townsville Blackhawks for two years, being named in the Intrust Super Cup’s team of the year in 2016.
Set to start the second year of a two-year contract with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 2018, the 24-year-old backrower is certain to capitalize on the departure of James Graham and Sam Kasiano.
Martin was an absolute powerhouse on the Kumul’s right edge and the first genuine breakout star of this year’s Rugby League World Cup. While he’s one of a handful of players in the squad not to have played in the NRL or the PNG Hunters, but he certainly wasn’t the only star of the show.
David Mead became the first player in PNG history to score a hat-trick in a World Cup match as he helped send Wales to their heaviest ever defeat. Winger Garry Lo was bruising with his carries, while James Segeyaro was at his scheming best from dummy-half.
While Wales failed to have a single player from the NRL in their squad, Ireland will prove a tougher test with a spattering few NRL games between the squad. But compared to the Kumuls, it seems certain that Martin and his men will lead their way to the top of their pool, and deep into this tournament.