'Mate, this place is heaving': PNG Chiefs boss explains secret meeting under cover of darkness with Braith Anasta

Of all the places in the world where the PNG Chiefs' inaugural head coach would be locked in, Coogee Oval probably wouldn't be most people's first guess.

But last Wednesday night, that's exactly where the future of Willie Peters was secured by his manager Braith Anasta and the expansion club's football department boss, Michael Chammas.

The all-conquering Hull KR coach was formally appointed this week to lead the Chiefs once they enter the competition in 2028, providing a major boost for the club.

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Peters has long been seen as the best rising coach in rugby league, having taken the Rovers from rock bottom to the Super League-Challenge Cup double.

The 47-year-old is managed by league great and media personality Anasta, who has plenty of on-screen roles with Fox Sports, as well as his weekly BTFU 180 podcast.

On the latest episode of the podcast, Anasta spoke about the hilarious details of how he and Chammas had to finalise a deal for Peters in the popular beachside suburb on a park bench once the sun had gone down, in a bid to keep it out of the public eye.

"We had to be confidential, because Peter [V'landys] didn't want it getting out," he said.

"We get down to Coogee and it's pumping on a Wednesday night at 8.30 and I said 'mate, where are we gonna meet' and I said Oporto. He walked over to Oporto and I said 'we can't do it here' and we ended up going over to Coogee Oval.

"We're sitting in the dark, he gets his laptop out and it was so weird. We were doing all the numbers and then we rang Willie and pretty much nutted it out that night." 

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Chammas has since confirmed that version of events to Wide World of Sports and heaped praise on both Peters and Anasta during the negotiations.

"I met with Braith last Wednesday, we caught up at Coogee and I said to him 'mate, this place is heaving' and there was nowhere to go where we won't be seen," he said.

"I parked down near Coogee Oval, we sat on a park bench and did the deal in the comfort of the night and gave Willie a call after that.

"It was all pretty straightforward, they knew what they wanted and we knew what we wanted and we got a deal done within 24-48 hours.

"Braith and Willie were both fantastic to deal with through the whole thing.

"It was clear to us that they wanted PNG and we never felt as though we were second-fiddle or we were being used because other options might come up."

News of the deal started to filter through by Friday morning that Peters had got the nod as the Chiefs' first-ever coach, beating out some other strong candidates.

On that same day, Manly sacked Anthony Seibold and while many were questioning whether that could force Peters to change his mind, Chammas never had any doubts.

"It didn't even cross my mind - people were asking if I was worried, but nothing at all," the former Nine journalist said.

"I knew his intentions, I knew the person and he was and I was laughing at people suggesting there was some kind of conspiracy theory.

"Even though we didn't have pen to paper, we knew he was coming." 

The club, led by Chammas and chief executive Lorna McPherson, will now get the ball rolling on the recruitment front - something made easier by Peters' appointment.

"We're able to hit the go-button, we've been in limbo for the last six weeks," he said.

"Everyone in PNG is excited and everyone in Australia recognises the significance of getting Willie Peters on board and we're proud to have him."