Jack de Belin Endorses Lachlan Lam as Ideal Partner for Jarome Luai
Papua New Guinea Kumul Jack de Belin has expressed strong support for his national teammate Lachlan Lam, suggesting he would be an ideal partner for Jarome Luai in the Chiefs’ halves. This comes as Luai was recently announced as the first-ever signing for the Papua New Guinea NRL team, sparking widespread speculation about who else might join the squad.
While Alex Johnston remains a name often mentioned in discussions about potential signings, de Belin believes that another Kumul should be high on the expansion side’s priority list. “Lachie Lam, he could be the best signing as well because he’s a gun if you watch him over in the Super League,” de Belin said ahead of Parramatta’s round-nine clash with the Warriors.
“I reckon he’s one of the best halves I’ve played with. So I think he’d be a great signing. Every time I play with him in the Kumuls he’s a gun.”
Lam made a significant impact in his PNG debut at the 2017 World Cup, scoring a double. Since then, he has made 14 appearances for his nation and scored seven tries. He is now aiming to secure a third World Cup with the Kumuls, which will be hosted across Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea at the end of the year.
A Sydney Roosters junior, Lam has been playing for the Leigh Leopards in the Super League, where he is coached by his father Adrian. The 28-year-old, who also serves as co-captain of the Leopards, has been shining in England and was named their player of the season in 2025.
“He had a bit of an unfortunate circumstance coming into rugby league with the Roosters at a young age,” de Belin said. “Coming into a premier side there it took him probably a little bit longer to find his feet.”
However, with more maturity and experience, de Belin sees Lam as ready for an NRL return. He believes Lam’s skill set and PNG connection make him the perfect half-back to partner the club’s marquee signing.
“I think that’s an awesome job getting Jarome Luai,” de Belin said. “That’s a massive signing, and I think a lot of boys are going to see that now that he’s done it, he’s a bit of the trailblazer and I think a lot of players are going to follow him across there.”
Despite this focus on high-profile signings, de Belin also emphasizes the importance of nurturing local talent. The Chiefs have publicly stated a long-term goal of having 75 per cent of the team composed of local players within a decade.
“There’s still a long way to go but you can’t just have a team full of recruits from Australia because you won’t be able to get enough,” de Belin said. “You’re definitely going to have to bring a lot of those local juniors through and hope that you can strike gold on a few.”
