Cooper Bai

Last updated

Cooper Bai
Personal information
Born (2006-11-05) 5 November 2006 (age 18)
Height192 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight93 kg (14 st 9 lb)
Playing information
Position Lock
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
2025– Gold Coast Titans 10000
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
2025 PNG Prime Minister's XIII 10000
2025– Papua New Guinea 10000
Source: [1]
As of 12 October 2025
Education Marymount College
Father Marcus Bai

Cooper Bai (born 5 November 2006) is an Australian rugby league footballer who plays as a lock for the Gold Coast Titans in the National Rugby League.

Contents

Background

Bai was born on the Gold Coast, Queensland and is of Papua New Guinean descent. [2] Bai's father, Marcus, is a former Papua New Guinean international who won premierships with Melbourne Storm in 1999 and Leeds Rhinos in 2004. [3]

He played his junior rugby league for the Burleigh Bears and attended Marymount College before being signed by the Gold Coast Titans. [4]

Playing career

Early career

In 2023, while playing for Burleigh in the Mal Meninga Cup, he represented Queensland City Under-17. [5] In 2024, Bai was 18th man for Queensland Under-19 in their loss to New South Wales. [6]

2025

Bai joined the Titans' NRL squad on a development contract for the 2025 season. [7] On 19 June, he started at lock and scored a try in Queensland Under-19's win over New South Wales. [8] Later that month, he made his Queensland Cup debut for the Tweed Seagulls. [9]

In Round 27 of the 2025 NRL season, he was named to make his NRL debut against the Wests Tigers. [10]

In October 2025 he was named in the Papua New Guinea squad for the Pacific Bowl. [11]

On 12 October 2025 he made his debut for the PNG Prime Minister's XIII in the 28-10 defeat to Australia’s Prime Minister's XIII in Port Moresby [12]

References

  1. RLP
  2. "Global backing for PNG team as son of Kumuls great earns NRL debut". NRL. 3 September 2025.
  3. "Cooper Bai follows in father's footsteps after being named in Titans squad". ABC. 4 September 2025.
  4. "'Always been home': Bai's desire to remain a Titan despite Storm temptation". Gold Coast Titans. 2 December 2024.
  5. "City lock Cooper Bai: 'My goal is to dominate the middle'". QRL. 22 September 2023.
  6. "The Titans bolters to watch in Under 19 Origin". Gold Coast Titans. 20 June 2024.
  7. "Son of NRL legend to join full-time in '25". Gold Coast Titans. 28 October 2024.
  8. "Match Report: U19s State of Origin". QRL. 20 June 2025.
  9. "Young Bai impresses in debut". The National. 30 June 2025.
  10. "Round 27 team: Debuting duo headline side to farewell Foz against Wests Tigers". Gold Coast Titans. 2 September 2025.
  11. Ben Olawumi (9 October 2025). "Son of Super League icon pays emotional tribute to dad ahead of Papua New Guinea debut". Love Rugby League.
  12. Daniel Nuttall (12 October 2025). "Zero for seven?! Aussie's double hat-trick powers PM's XII past PNG despite horrific kicking". FoxSports.au.