Coach Tahnee Norris has named a 21-player squad for the Pacific Championships, which begin this Friday night with powerhouse forward Elise Albert, to headline the Santos PNG Orchids squad. The competition will take place across the next two months, with the Orchids playing matches in Brisbane, Port Moresby and Sydney in a busy schedule against leading teams including Australia and New Zealand. The PNG Prime Minister’s XIII side faced off against a strong Australian Prime Minister’s XIII selection at Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby on Sunday 13th October as part of their preparation for the campaign ahead. The players put in a commendable effort against an experienced Australian side who were all selected from the NRLW competition, with some having played State of Origin and with the Jillaroos. Albert is joined in the Orchids side by other players with NRLW experience including Essay Banu and Sareka Mooka who spent season 2024 with the North Queensland Cowboys and Ua Rava, who is signed to the Canberra Raiders. Experienced centre Belinda Gwasamun has been playing with Wentworthville Magpies and this year was named the joint winner of the Tahnee Norris Medal at the NRL’s Harvey Norman Women’s National Championships. The players have assembled in camp in Brisbane to prepare for their Pacific Championships campaign which will kick off at Suncorp Stadium against the Australian Jillaroos on Friday, October 18th. PNG Orchids Pacific Championships squad: Belinda Gwasamun – Wentworthville Magpies Delailah Ahose – Goroka Lahanis Elsie Albert – Parramatta Eels Emily Veivers – Norths Devils Essay Banu – Norths Queensland Cowboys Freda Anthony – Central Dabaris Freda Waula – Mt Hagen Eagles Gloria Kaupa – Wentworthville Magpies Jessikah Reeves – Western Clydesdales La-Toniya Norris-Addo – Darwin Brothers Leila Kerowa – Central Dabaris Lilah Malabag – Port Moresby Vipers Lyiannah Allen – Mt Hagen Eagles Mala Mark – Central Dabaris Meli Joe – Mt Hagen Eagles Roswita Kapo – Wentworthville Magpies Sareka Mooka – North Queensland Cowboys Sera Koroi – Goodna