Jack De Belin

Holbrook coached de Belin at St George Illawarra when the former St Helens and Gold Coast Titans mentor was starting his coaching career with the Dragons NYC under 20s team in 2012.

De Belin, whose grandmother Aileen Leary was born in PNG while her parents were serving as missionaries, has been considering declaring his eligibility for the Kumuls since the 2013 World Cup, when Adrian Lam was in charge of the team.

Kumuls officials had reached out to the St George Illawarra Dragons middle forward before Papua New Guinea face Fiji at Campbelltown Stadium next Saturday night.

But de Belin says it wouldn’t feel right to lace up the boots for a country he has never felt a genuine connection with. He qualifies for the Kumuls via his maternal grandmother, who was born there but does not have Papua New Guinean heritage.

“I’d love to help out and what not, but I just don’t feel like it’s right. I’m taking away a spot from someone who is actually from PNG and deserves it,” de Belin said.

However, newly appointed Kumuls Head Coach, Stanley Tepend is hopeful the lock will accept a call-up later in the year. 

Tepend and his predecessor Michael Marum have held discussions with De Belin about representing his grandmother’s birth nation over the last 12 months.

De Belin only returned to the NRL last year and hasn’t played representative football since 2018, with the 31-year-old ruling himself out of Kumuls selection ahead of next week’s Test at Campbelltown.

Highly regarded and long serving PNG coach Michael Marum, who took charge of the Kumuls in 2016 after Mal Meninga stepped down to accept the Australian job, recently resigned from the post and is considering a tilt at politics ahead of this year’s elections.

The PNGRFL is expected to announce Marum’s replacement next week to give the new coach time to prepare for the June 25 Pacific Test double header at Campbelltown Stadium, which also features a clash between Samoa and the Cook Islands.

De Belin spent more than two years out of the NRL while fighting to clear his name in court and two hung juries ultimately saw charges against him dropped.

The former NSW Blues player returned to the competition with the Dragons this year and he now has more representative duties in his sights.

De Belin, 30, qualifies for the Kumuls via his grandmother and coach Michael Marum is keen to pick him.

“Jack is eligible,” Marum told AAP.

Team Manager, John Wilshere, said both players will be resting niggling injuries they both carry.

In a media conference Wilshere said both players will not be joining the squad.

“Due to some of the injures they carried through the (NRL) finals they wont be joining the squad because it will them an opportunity to rest and recover for their respective clubs ready for 2019,” he said.

Wilshere said so far the mood camp has been good with the players who joined earl whilst waiting for the rest of squad from overseas.

Coach Michael Marum made the announcement when naming the squad on Monday.

Johnson plays for the South Sydney Rabbitohs and De Belin from the St George Illawarra Dragons.

Alex Johnston’s mother hails from PNG while one of De Belin’s parents was born in PNG.

The Rabbitohs knocked out the Dragons from the NRL Premiership a fortnight ago but then were knocked out by the Roosters last Saturday.

Depending on fitness and medical tests of the 18 man squad announced on Monday, the four shadow players, including two PNG players, could be included.