Papua New Guinea will become Team 18 in the NRL at the start of the 2028 season, and while they can't sign anyone for the next 24 months unless there are rule changes, attention will quickly turn to the off-contract market.
There has already been talk that rule changes - allowing the PNG players to sign players before November 1, 2026 - could be enacted.
They weren't for the Dolphins when they joined the competition in 2023, and the NRL came under plenty of criticism as the 17th outfit attempted to build a competitive team for their first season in existence.
Already, financial incentives have been confirmed for players, coaches and administration staff who sign on with the team, allowing them to pay no tax on their income.
Zero Tackle will have a full squad builder article on site in the coming days based on the current situation of contracts and local players.
In the meantime, here are the top five options, in no specific order, that should be on the Papua New Guineaย team's wishlist from Day 1 of their initial recruitment run.
4. Sam Walker (Sydney Roosters)
Walker is almost the key target for this team when it comes to players who will be able to make a long-term difference to their point-scoring and ability to be competitive.
Arguably the best young halfback in the NRL, he has just re-signed with the Roosters through to the end of the 2027 NRL season.
That, in the eyes of the new franchise, is perfect timing.
Will Walker want to move to Port Moresby? It's probably the question that will hang over the heads of almost every player who is approached by the new team.
If he does, though, there are major financial incentives, and, to essentially live in a high-performance environment, could well turn him into one of the best halfbacks the game has ever seen.
The trouble with signing a player 12 months out is that in those 12 months he may lose form, succumb to a long-term injury, or just grow old.
Signing two years out will exacerbate those uncertainties. Increasing that further, and it will just be a crap-shoot what the players are going to be like when they eventually rock up at the new club.