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Half gravel, half grass, full Kumul: Rhyse reflects on remarkable ride
When Rhyse Martin made his Papua New Guinea debut in 2014, the field in Lae was half gravel and half grass.
Twelve years on, he is preparing to run out onto the pristine turf of WIN Stadium as the most-capped Kumul in history.
So much has changed across Martin's 24-Test career, most notably the rise of the Kumuls as an international force, the redevelopment of Santos National Football Stadium and the arrival of the PNG Chiefs in 2028.
“My debut for Papua New Guinea against Tonga in Lae, the field down the middle was all gravel and on the side was grass," Martin told NRL.com.
Road to being No.1, says skipper
THE growing interest in international rugby league matches played in Papua New Guinea is an encouraging sign for the game’s future, says PNG Kumuls skipper Rhyse Martin.
“There’s a lot of excitement in there,” Martin said. “When we get teams like Samoa coming to play here, you can see how much the fans get behind it.”
Martin said the country deserved more opportunities to host top international teams, pointing out that supporters turned out not only for the Kumuls but also for visiting sides. He said the passion Papua New Guineans have for the game was evident in the strong support shown for both the Kumuls and Toa Samoa last weekend, describing the atmosphere as a major positive for the sport’s growth in the country.
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Tributes flow as 200-game star retires in tears at Rugby League World Cup
NRL and rugby league fans are paying tribute after a premiership-winner bid an emotional farewell to his home nation at the World Cup. There were emotional scenes last weekend when Rhyse Martin was chaired around the ground following PNG's 64-6 loss to Samoa in Port Moresby.
The 33-year-old announced his retirement in May and revealed he'd walk away from his playing career at year's end. Martin was signed by the Roosters in 2010 as a teenager, but had to wait until 2018 before making his NRL debut with the Bulldogs.
He played 25 games for Canterbury across 2018 and 2019 before he embarked on a long and successful career in England. He played 132 games for Leeds Rhinos from 2019 to 2024, before 43 for Hull KR in 2025 and 2026. The back-rower was part of Willie Peters' all-conquering Hull side that won 'the treble' in 2025 – the Challenge Cup, League Leaders' Shield and Super League Trophy.
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