Dual-Code Athlete Graduates With Flying Colors

A successful all-rounder athlete, Jacky Winas, who plays both rugby union and rugby league, recently graduated from Lae's University of Technology with flying colors, majoring in a Bachelor of Forestry.

Winas comes from mixed parentage, having roots in Enga and Morobe, but he was brought up in a Sepik and Manus household. He spent his entire life in PNG’s second city, Lae, Morobe Province. 

The Engan-Morobean lad has had a colorful career in both rugby league and rugby union, winning a few individual awards and team accolades.  

He began his educational journey at Coronation College, attending from primary school to secondary school there. His dad was a teacher at the school. 

In a country where rugby league has a huge following, with every young boy dreaming of playing the 13-man code and reaching the NRL or Super League, Winas grew up playing rugby union.

“I started my rugby union career back in high school, playing with a 7s team for Coronation College, now Lae International School (LIS), while doing grade 8 in 2014,” he said.  

“I didn't know much about rugby league. The players who inspired me to play rugby union were William Ryder and Dan Carter.

“I played rugby union my whole life and made my transition in 2016, playing for the Royals Rugby League Club in the Morobe Rugby Union competition.

“In 2017, I was selected to play for the Lae Snax Tigers Academy, and in 2018, I made my debut for the Tigers while doing grade 12.”

He had no interest in playing rugby league. However, the Lae Snax Tigers would do their training sessions at Coronation College, which piqued Winas' interest in pursuing rugby league.

“I was not really looking forward to playing rugby league. Rugby union was the game I was very interested in,” he said.

“Whilst playing rugby union, we would see the Tigers’ players come to use our school pool for their pool sessions. 

“We would always rush to go see them train during pool sessions, and that was when I thought to myself that I could really be in this group doing what they were doing.

“The following year, while doing year 12, I was with the Tigers in the same pool I used to come watch every Monday afternoon, and the rest is history.”

Completing year 12, he has not received any offers for tertiary studies. Thankfully, Lae Snax Tigers club owner and chairman Ian Chow assisted him in his education journey.

“After grade 12, I didn't get an offer, so I lost hope and wanted to focus on rugby league since I was at a good place (Lae Snax Tigers),” Winas revealed.

“Tuition was another burden. However, with the help of Stanley Tepend and Ian Chow, I was able to upgrade my marks while playing in 2019.

“Following that, I was selected through non-school leavers to do my first year at the University of Technology in 2020.

“Though I had financial issues, Ian Chow paid for my school fees through the help of Stanley Tepend from 2020 to 2024.

“I had my ups and downs, I failed some subjects and had to readmit, until I finally completed my studies.”

He thanked those who have supported him in his studies, stating: “I had good people who looked after me throughout my studies, so I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

“I had a good family from Manus who took care of me, especially Joyce Ndreyeh, Sherwin and Ashley Tanabi’s mum. They were very good to me and helped me throughout most of my time at university.”

He explained that it has been a challenging journey for him to balance his rugby league career and studies, but his course-mates have been very helpful. 

“It was very exciting in terms of getting out of school once in a while,” Winas said.  

“However, time was not on my side as I had to come back and check up on school work on various occasions.

“I had good course-mates and friends, who most of the time helped me out during my absence at school while playing rugby league or going for training. 

“It was very tiring and challenging, but worth it.” 

During his time in the Digicel Cup, he was part of the Lae Snax Tigers squad that made the 2019 and 2021 grand finals. However, he did not feature in those two deciders. 

He also had a stint with the Asila Waghi Tumbe in 2024 and is now playing for the PRK Mendi Muruks.

Outside of the Digicel Cup, he has had success in rugby 7s and 9s competitions. In rugby 7s, he was part of the team that qualified PNG for the Challenger series across six different countries.

“In 2023, after the 7s tournament in Sepik, I got selected for the PNG Pukpuks and played in Oceania 7s in Brisbane, the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands, and the Challenger series in Dubai,” Winas said.

“We also reached the Cup semifinals in the Solomon Islands, competing against Fiji. After that, I realized that there were limited long-term opportunities for me in rugby union, so I switched to rugby league.”

The versatile athlete aims to impart his knowledge to emerging players in both league and union, and also ventures into business after retirement.

“My goal is to give back what I have learned to help the smaller ones coming up and making sure they see the good side of rugby league and achieve their dreams,” he said.

“Besides rugby league, I want to build something for myself and a small business to support my family.”

The playmaker revealed that his final dream is to play for the Hunters, saying: “At this stage and age, I am only looking for a call-up in the Hunters and work from there onwards.

“Apart from that, I want to work on something for my life after rugby league.”

The following are some of his achievements in rugby union and rugby league, respectively: 

• Won Simon Sia 9s in 2018 - RL

• Won Snax 9s in 2019 - RL

• Won Simon Sia 9s in 2022 - RL

• Won Vice Chancellors Cup in 2023 - RL

• Won Trans Highway 7s in 2023 - RU

• Won Kande 9s in 2023 - RL

• Won Kande 9s in 2025 - RL 

• Won Vice Chancellors Cup in 2025 - RL

• Finished runner-up in Rigo Rice Cup Grand Final 2025 - RL

• Pawa 9s/Snax 9s Grandfinalist in 2025 - RL

He credited his coaching staff, teammates, and the team management for helping him accomplish the mentioned accolades. 

Now playing for the PRK Mendi Muruks, Jacky Winas hopes to lead the Southern Highlands franchise to the finals this year and help the club break its 20-year premiership drought.