Rhyse Martin will join the PNG Chiefs as Football Operations Manager before the club's inaugural NRL season in 2028, rather than play for the team as some fans urged.
The retiring captain's 16-year career ended Friday in Wollongong, where the most-capped Kumuls player made his 25th and final Test.
PNG lost 34-12 to England in their final Rugby League World Cup pool match, despite recovering from a 22-0 deficit after 21 minutes to trail by 12 in the second half.
Two late England tries ended the prospect of a Kumuls comeback.
"I just said to the boys I am so proud of their effort, we can go out of this tournament with the heads held high," Martin told Seven after the game.
"We dug in there and we turned up, and we turned it into a game... we were nearly there, we were close for a win."
Martin fought back tears as he thanked family who travelled to watch his final Test, and credited PNG supporters with lifting the team.
England's tournament hopes also hang in the balance: they need Tonga to beat Samoa by more than 46 points to reach the semi-finals.
Fans praised Martin's service to PNG, while his final appearance followed an emotional farewell in Port Moresby after a heavy loss to Samoa the previous week.
Signed by the Roosters in 2010, Martin made his NRL debut with the Bulldogs in 2018 and played 25 games for them.
In England, he featured in 132 games for Leeds Rhinos and 43 for Hull KR, including as part of coach Willie Peters' treble-winning squad.