Broken ribs not enough to overshadow this 'best rugby league moment' for ex-Dragon

For Jack de Belin, the pain of sitting in a Port Moresby hospital with fractured ribs that were "very tender, very sore" was nothing compared to the pain he felt not being able to represent Papua New Guinea anymore at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.

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Ex-Dragons player Jack de Belin is back home, but he's been battling through the World Cup with busted ribs. Pictures by Keegan Carroll, AAP

What weighed on de Belin most was not the pain of the fractured ribs, it was having to watch his beloved PNG Kumuls team from the sidelines after being ruled out for the rest of the tournament following the round two loss to Samoa.

The former St George Illawarra Dragons and Parramatta Eels player has a long and proud connection to Papua New Guinea, one that began well before he pulled on the PNG Kumuls jersey.

"It's very special playing for Papua New Guinea," de Belin said ahead of Papua New Guinea's game against England at WIN Stadium.

"On my mum's side, my nan was born and raised in Papua New Guinea and to be able to represent her side of the family and especially my nan is so special.

"Playing for Papua New Guinea is something I definitely don't take for granted and I am disappointed that I can't play."

De Belin was initially hesitant about representing Papua New Guinea, however he soon knew that playing for the Kumuls would be one of the best decisions he ever made during his playing career.

"I probably didn't really know what to expect the first time I played for Papua New Guinea," de Belin said.

"But then knowing how passionate Papua New Guinea is a nation for rugby league and all the supporters, the players, it's been really special and overwhelming pulling on the jersey.

"The emotions around it, it's probably up there with my best rugby league moments."

After 252 matches for the St George Illawarra Dragons, de Belin joined the Eels for the 2026 NRL season and is without an NRL contract for 2027 after Parramatta chose not to retain him for next season.

The forward would not be drawn into speculation about his rugby league future, however he has a clear plan about what he will do once he eventually retires from the sport.

"The first thing I want to once I retire is to walk the Kokoda Track," de Belin said.

"I want to go to Rabaul where my nan was born and raised and I would love to get over there to East New Britain and check it all out."

A former NSW Blues representative, de Belin has represented the PNG Kumuls 10 times and said he still has plenty to offer as he looks to continue his rugby league career.

"In regards to my body and mind I feel awesome," de Belin said.

"I'm really frustrating because I was keen to use the World Cup to show people that I've still got it.

"In the first game against Lebanon it was a good start and I prepared so well and came into the tournament in really good condition and was ready to play some big minutes and play some good football.

"I've always said availability is my best ability and I don't ever miss games and this is the first game I have missed in three years because of an injury."

The 35-year-old reflected on his time with the Kumuls and said the Rugby League World Cup round one game against Lebanon in Port Moresby was an incredible moment.

"It has been good for me to give back to Papua New Guinea as a nation," de Belin said.

"The crowd environment over there in Port Moresby was amazing and it was up there with one of the loudest games I have ever played even though there was only 15,000 people and it felt like a lot more."

With rugby league in Papua New Guinea on the rise and the PNG Chiefs entering the NRL competition in 2028, the future of the sport will continue to thrive.

While de Belin said he has "no idea what the future holds", what is certain is how much pulling on the PNG Kumuls jersey has meant to him and his family and the deeper sense of how much representing his grandmother's homeland mattered.

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