Papua New Guinea is disappointed seeing the premature exit of Justin Olam from Australia’s NRL. But what if the path that Justin came through has always remained opened to produce another Justin Olam. Roderick Tai now playing in the English Super League admits following in the footsteps of Olam both graduating (different years) with a Degree in Applied Physics and Electronics at the University of Technology in Lae while playing semi professional rugby league in Papua New Guinea developing to the SP PNG Hunters and the PNG Kumuls. Now Jade Puk rises to the barometer recently graduating last month with a Degree in Applied Physics and Electronics too at Unitech just like Olam and Tai and currently plays centre for the PRK Mendi Muruks in semi pro Digicel Exxonmobil cup in Papua New Guinea. Climbing the stairs of rugby league for young Puk has been remarkable since joining the PRK Mendi Muruks 3 years ago whilst studying at Unitech. He’s had the better luck of trialing out with the SP PNG Hunters over the 2024 pre-season aback scooping the 2024 Digicel Exxonmobil cup winger of the year award last season. Whilst he didn’t make the final call for PNG Hunters season 2025, the race has just started for the young man from Andakapla village in the Kiminka clan of the Moge tribe in Western Highlands province. Motivated by seeing his elders including Justin Olam and Roderick Tai juggling rugby league and schooling, Jade threw himself into the playing field displaying his skills initially whilst attending Mt Hagen Secondary school prior to arriving at Unitech in 2021. His interest as well caught the attention of his parents who managed to register the 2023 Ipatas Cup champions, Homeland Saints team in the local Mt Hagen Rugby League. At Unitech the motivation for Jade grew knowing the course undertaken, Applied Physics and Electronics was the same course undertaken by both Olam and Tai whilst playing rugby league, and he knew he could do it as well. In his third year (2023) Jade was scouted by Mendi Muruks debuting but it was the following year (2024) whilst completing his final year that his rugby league career shone. And it culminated being awarded the 2024 Digicel Exxonmobil Cup winger of the year at the end of the season as well a call up to the Hunters pre-season. And while season 2025 has just started heading into round five this coming weekend, Jade has earned a double back to back man of the match performance so far and leading try scorer for the PRK Mendi Muruks so far. “For this year I’d like to make it once more into the PNG hunters and making their final squad next year. And I’ll try to make it into the Kumuls for the representative game,” Jade said. Looking back and balancing both tertiary studies as well a promising rugby league career, Jade says it’s very challenging to handle both his studies and playing rugby but it comes down to the commitment he has made. “And how I budget my time for my studies and rugby and it paid off well as I graduated and still playing rugby,” Jade adds. On the other hand Jade says: “And if I didn’t play rugby, right now I’d probably apply for work and I’d be working somewhere.” To upcoming rugby league talents, Jade says, “My advice to young boys and girls is if you really interested in anything, not just rugby but anything in life you