Chiefs boss denies Johnston signing reports

PNG Chiefs Chief Executive Officer Lorna McPherson has officially denied reports claiming the club has signed NRL try-scoring sensation Alex Johnston.

Initial reports from Australia’s CodeSports suggested that Johnston had inked a one-year deal with the Chiefs, purportedly becoming "Player No. 1" for the franchise's inaugural season in 2028.

However, McPherson was quick to dismiss the claims when speaking to NBC News.

"We have not signed with AJ. Not sure where it’s come from," the Chiefs CEO said. "Any contract with AJ, it needs my signature as CEO and I have not signed any contract."

The reports from Australia indicated the deal was valued at approximately K770,000 ($325,000 AUD) tax-free. According to those claims, Johnston was set to remain at Redfern to honor his commitments with the South Sydney Rabbitohs for the 2026 and 2027 seasons before relocating to Port Moresby for the Chiefs’ debut campaign.

Senior NRL journalist Brad Walter also cast doubt on the rumors, suggesting the report might be fueled by the recent media buzz surrounding the club.

"They haven’t tabled a contract to him yet and he hasn’t signed anything with them," Walter told NBC News. "There is a lot of focus on the Chiefs because of the Luai visit, so a journalist who didn’t get that story might be trying to ride the momentum, or possibly a manager is looking for publicity or both."

Johnston, who has maternal ties to Lumi in West Sepik, has been a mainstay for the PNG Kumuls. With 12 caps for the national side, he remains a favorite son of Papua New Guinea and a key figure in the country's rugby league aspirations.

While international reports claimed Johnston had informed Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett and his teammates of a move on Tuesday morning, with Bennett’s blessing, the Chiefs' maintains that no official agreement exists.

Right now, Wests Tigers star Jerome Luai is Chiefs priority following his short visit to Port Moresby over the weekend.