Former Castleford Tigers ace Judah Rimbu has departed PNG Hunters and joined fellow Queensland Cup outfit Brisbane Tigers ahead of 2026.
Six-time Kumuls international Rimbu, who has also represented PNG’s Prime Minister’s XIII, spent half a season with Castleford.
Having initially seen a move to fellow Super League outfit Hull FC fall through, the hooker penned a two-year deal at The Jungle ahead of the 2025 campaign and went on to feature ten times across all competitions.
Scoring a sole try for the Tigers in their Round 4 victory over Salford Red Devils, the 24-year-old departed by mutual consent in June in search of more regular game time.
Having started his career in the Q Cup with PNG Hunters, Rimbu returned and ended the 2025 campaign back with them, but has now moved on to pastures new in the shape of Brisbane Tigers.
Former Castleford Tigers star lands new club Down Under ahead of 2026
The Mendi-born star – who turned 24 last month – has also slotted in at full-back, in the halves and at loose during his career, but is primarily a hooker.
His overall appearance tally for the Hunters in the Q Cup now sits at 78, with 25 tries scored in the process along with 11 goals.
Four of those tries came in his nine games at second-grade level Down Under in their colours in the second half of the 2025 campaign, with the Hunters finishing seventh on the ladder before bowing out of the play-offs at the first hurdle against the Dolphins’ second string.
Rimbu’s new club, Brisbane Tigers, narrowly missed out on the play-offs in 2025 having finished ninth on the ladder in the Q Cup.
The Tigers announced Rimbu’s arrival for 2026 via social media, posting on Instagram (@brisbane_tigers): “Signed! Judah Rimbu joins the Tigers for the 2026 Season! ?
“Welcome to the Jungle Judah! ?”
Another former Tigers star will be one of Rimbu’s team-mates in 2026 in the shape of fellow Papua New Guinean Sylvester Namo.
Namo, who hails from the Goroka Province, played 22 games across all competitions for Castleford between 2024 and 2025 as well as one for Newcastle Thunder during a short loan stint.
The 25-year-old, a nine-time Kumuls international, departed Cas in April and linked up with Brisbane Tigers the following month.
With games in the Q Cup for both PNG Hunters and Townsville Blackhawks already on his CV, Namo scored two tries in nine games for the Tigers in 2025, and has already penned a fresh deal with the club for 2026.
