Coates to push for Kumuls debut at World Cup

Philip Coates celebrating a try be skipper Adam Reynolds (Image: Supplied)

Star rookie Phillip Coates will be lapping up any more NRL chances that come his way in 2026 as he pushes his case for a World Cup spot with the PNG Kumuls.

The 19-year-old winger had a baptism of fire on debut for Brisbane Broncos in front of a parochial pro-Warriors crowd at NRL Magic Round, producing mixed results as he was blown away by the speed of the top grade.

But just as his older brother Xavier seems to do every game, Phil walked away with a highlights reel moment after latching on to a bullet-like Reece Walsh pass above his head, finding space and the saying his prayers as he lobbed an offload bouncing favourably into the arms of Adam Reynolds for the Broncos skipper's second try.

"It was very surreal. I missed out on a couple in the first half, so I needed to be better and I caught that one and that was a pretty special to set up Reyno there," Coates said.

"Lucky he was on the inside and scored the try, so it made me look good.

"It was an unlucky result but I'm very grateful to get my debut, especially in Magic Round. It was a great atmosphere, there were a lot of people, but it was good.

"It's very fast out there so compared to Q-Cup so in the first half it was a bit fast but I got into it in the second half and felt a bit better."

Phillip receiving his debut jersey from older brother Xavier Coates (Image: Supplied)

Coates' 25-year-old brother, who is one of the stars of the Melbourne Storm, flew to Brisbane to present his younger sibling's NRL debut jersey and the first-gamer said his advice had been invaluable.

"It was pretty special for him to present my jersey and he gave me a lot of good advice and I'm pretty grateful for having him in my corner," Phillip Coates said.

"He just said just keep it simple just keep doing what I'm doing You don't need to change anything because it's a big game so just act like it's a normal game.

"It's definitely inspirational. He's someone I can go to for advice and he's been through a lot for how old he is - he's only young but he's been through a lot - so he's always great with advice and I'm always asking him and he's giving me great advice, so I'll grateful for him."

One way Phil wants to emulate his brother is by representing Papua New Guinea, having got a taste for the meaning of the jersey while playing centre for the Junior Kumuls in 2024.

Phillip Coates in action for Junior Kumuls during the 2024 Prime Ministers XIII clash in Port Moresby (Image: PNGRFL)

"It's been on my mind, so I would love to represent the Kumuls in the World Cup but I've just got to keep performing and doing well," Coates said.

"I'm just getting my confidence up and hopefully I can get a couple more [NRL] games in, but just really working on little things in Q-Cup and it would be good.

"The Kumuls play their opening two RLWC2026 matches at Santos National Stadium in Port Moresby against Lebanon and Samoa on October 17 and October 24.

The PNG side then travel to Wollongong to face England at WIN Stadium on October 30 in what is likely to be a must-win match for a place in the World Cup finals.

Coates may need to bide his time to add to his NRL tally, with the Broncos expected to welcome Kotoni Staggs after State of Origin Game 1 and the looming availability of Grant Anderson in coming weeks.

But if the former Queensland Under 19s representative continues his development and his impressive record of seven tries in six games for Burleigh Bears, a place in PNG's World Cup squad may be within reach.