Super League duo and Leigh Leopards target selected for Papua New Guinea Prime Minister's XIII

Nene Macdonald and Liam Horne have been named in Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister’s XIII to take on their Australian equivalents next weekend, alongside Leigh Leopards transfer target Jacob Alick-Wiencke.

Held annually since 2005, barring in 2019, the clash between the PM’s XIIIs of Australia and Papua New Guinea now acts as a build-up to the international games with more competitive significance.

The two sides are never at full strength as the players whose sides compete in either the NRL finals or the Super League play-offs are usually not involved.

It is intended to be used as a stepping stone to full international representation for emerging players, though some of the players picked – particularly for PNG – now already tend to be recognised international stars.

The two nations now also pit their women’s PMs XIIIs against one another.

This year, the PM’s XIIIs will square off in Port Moresby on Sunday, October 12.

Super League duo and Leigh Leopards target selected for Papua New Guinea Prime Minister’s XIII

The squads for next weekend’s clashes have already been announced, and in the Kumuls’ men’s side, there are plenty of recognisable figures.

Macdonald‘s future at club level remains unclear due to the ongoing financial crisis at Salford, with the Port Moresby native having spent much of the year Down Under away from the Red Devils.

He did though return to play in their last few games of the year, and will now line up for PNG’s PM’s XIII next weekend alongside Castleford Tigers hooker Horne.

The 27-year-old, whose full international debut for the Kumuls came just before his move to Super League back in 2022, is contracted at The Jungle until the end of next season.

Ex-Castleford duo Sylvester Namo and Nixon Putt are also in the starting 13, while another former Tiger is named on the bench in the shape of Judah Rimbu.

Cooper Bai, the son of Super League cult hero Marcus, is also on the bench having made his NRL debut at the back end of the year as he featured for the Gold Coast Titans against Wests Tigers.

Leigh fans will want to watch out for versatile forward Alick-Wiencke, who lines up in the back-row for the Kumuls for this clash.

He has just departed the Titans, and is believed to be on his way to the Leopards’ Den in 2026, with Adrian Lam having known the 25-year-old since he was a teenager.

The Leopards boss has not been shy in praising the forward when asked about him in recent weeks, and following their play-off semi-final defeat at Wigan, he confirmed that at least one of their new recruits for 2026 would be playing internationals this autumn.

Starting 13

1. Nene Macdonald

2. Robert Derby

3. Robert Mathias

4. Alex Max

5. Dudley Dotoi

6. Finley Glare

7. Kyle Laybutt

8. Epel Kapianis

9. Liam Horne

10. Sylvester Namo

11. Jacob Alick-Wienke

12. Nixon Putt

13. Jack De Belin

Bench

14. Judah Rimbu

15. Cooper Bai

16. lla Alu

17. Valentine Richard

Reserves

18. Jacob Taulani

19. Morea More

20. Gairo Varo