David Mead

David Mead is an international footballer whose passion, drive, commitment and hard work has seen him achieve success both on and off the field. His contribution to the sport he loves has helped elevate Papua New Guinea on the Rugby League world stage over the last 14 years. While he has had a rewarding career in football both in Australia and overseas, the 35 year old’s PNG heritage is always front of mind. He is a devoted member of the PNG community, regularly returning home to represent his country and to promote rugby league at a grassroots level. David is committed to being an ambassador for the country he loves.

To date he has played 172 NRL games, 58 games in the Super League and scored 104 tries - many spectacular. David’s first National Rugby League game was in 2009 when he debuted in Round 13 for the Gold Coast Titans against the St George Illawarra Dragons. A love and passion for sport from a young age in Tubusereia Village outside Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea often saw him play footy with mates using plastic bottles instead of a ball. His skill and determination was noticeable early on. When he was 12 he moved to Australia with the help of his aunty who wanted to give him a better educational opportunity. David spent weekends at school playing junior football and cricket for Lismore Marist Brothers. With a great work ethic and attitude to training, he was signed by the Gold Coast Titans straight from school aged 17. He credits a great deal of his successes to the coaches and mentors who helped and guided him along the way. During his eight years at the Titans he scored 67 tries and became well known for his lengthy and impressive try-scoring efforts. He was not only the top try scorer in 2011, he also became the first player to score 50 tries for the Club in 2013.

David’s representative career is also outstanding, consisting of 15 games for Papua New Guinea, many of which he Captained. He helped the country to achieve their first ever international win overseas in 14 years. He has also played two representative games forCountry Origin in which one of them he received Man of the Match. David also played in the Auckland Nines tournament in 2014, 2015 and 2016 for the Titans and in the World All Stars team against the Indigenous All Stars in 2017, where he won Player’sPlayer.

In 2017 David joined the Brisbane Broncos. He played 12 games in first grade during that season, the highlight being the semi-final win against the Penrith Panthers in which he played one of the best games of his career. David captained the Kumuls during their World Cup Campaign in 2017 and helped the country make it to the quarter finals for the first time since 2000. In 2018 he signed with the French rugby league club Catalans Dragons. He was part of the team that won the Challenge Cup which was the first trophy the club had won. He learnt to speak some french and enjoyed his time there with his young family.

During 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, David was uncertain of his playing future. With hard work, persistence and support from his family, he returned to Australia securing a contract with the Brisbane Broncos. During the 2021 NRL season, David’s successful return to the NRL was marked by another career best game, scoring three tries and he was named the comps fastest player for the week. Outside of rugby league, David is dedicated to making an impact through community work, education, health and well-being. He humbly sees the impact and effect his sporting career has on others and aims to inspire people as much as he can. An avid reader, his thirst for knowledge and learning is something he would like to share with his fellow Papua NewGuineans. David also enjoys meditating, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, spending quality time with his family and catching up with friends over coffee.

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Here are some specific topics that David can speak on:

• Building a mindset of discipline
• How to remain at the top of your game in the long-term
• Discovering your passion in life
• How to work collaboratively with others
• How to communicate effectively in team environments
• Planning for success and maintaining a life-long vision

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If you’re interested in finding out more about how to effectively lead a team or organisation in multiple areas, book David now to get started and elevate your operations to new heights.