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 31004
Source: [1]
As of 2 November 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.