When you compare it to the last three expansion projects, everything about the Papua New Guinea Chiefs is different. A move so brazen that it still doesn't feel completely real, an outright rejection of the assertion that sports and politics don't mix.
A melting pot of issues and problems that do not come into the equation for a player opting to sign with any other NRL club. Problems that can at least partially be solved with vast sums of tax free money.
These provisions were announced a couple of years ago, but it's only now that the Chiefs are throwing their sizable financial weight around -- most recently with the signing of Brian To'o -- that people seem to be upset about a perceived unfair advantage.
"We're not shying away from it," Chiefs General Manager Michael Chammas told ESPN in regards to the tax-free money on offer for new signings.
"We're not saying 'you can't come because you're motivated by money' ... it's going to be a major factor for everyone who makes this decision, we're not naive to that."
But this is the big question: Do the Chiefs have an unfair advantage?
"The fact that clubs or people in the game are saying it's unfair now? We as a club wear that as a badge of honour," Chammas said.
"If they're threatened by what we're putting together, we must be doing something right."
Regardless of how you feel about the situation, it's clear that the signings so far have massively exceeded expectations. To'o joins Zac Lomax, Jarome Luai, Alex Johnston, Connor Watson and Matty Lees as the first half-dozen Chiefs. Four of them have won NRL premierships, and all have played high-level representative football.
"People didn't think we'd be able to attract this calibre of players," Chammas said.
"This is what we want. If they were all like 'this is the cute and cuddly PNG Chiefs, who cares? How cute that they're putting a team together' then we'd be failing."
The To'o signing is certainly the most eyebrow-raising so far, and came at the end of a whirlwind few days. Penrith like to shut up shop as the finals approach, and after initial talks began the Chiefs only had a week to get a deal done.
"We moved heaven and earth to make that happen," Chammas said.
"The reality is, we didn't know what was going to happen come November 1. Players come on the market, we have a situation at the moment where agents are ringing."
To'o is the first player to sign for the Chiefs without visiting Port Moresby, but that won't be normal for potential recruits.
"When we brought Jarome Luai to PNG he said it reminded him of Samoa.
"The island life is not something that's new to them and while he hasn't been to PNG he has spent some time in the pacific and I think these guys will be able to adapt to the lifestyle better than someone who hasn't got that background."
That isn't to say the tax advantages aren't substantial, it'd be ridiculous to state otherwise. But there aren't any delusions about that extra money being a primary source of motivation for players.
"There is no difference for us, the salary cap is the same as everyone else. While the players are getting an advantage that's helping us attract the players we have, we're still operating under the same cap."
While that is true, obviously not having taxable income makes an offer from the Chiefs, even for slightly less money, more tantalising. But if the rugby league community would collective agree that there needed to be some sort of financial incentive in order to get players to sign for the Chiefs, what's the sweet spot?
These are splashy signings, for sure. But it would be a far bigger issue if it were the likes of Isaiya Katoa, Ethan Strange or Tallis Duncan putting pen to paper.
To'o and Lees will turn 30 during the Chiefs' inaugural season. Before a ball is kicked, Luai will be 31 and Johnston 33.
Chammas said the Chiefs are not naive to the fact that it's unlikely the Chiefs will ever be in the position to attract Australian-based players for a decade of their career, or even close to that.
"We know there's a two- or three-year window," he said.
"Let's be real, that's what's going to happen. So why not plan for that? Why not put ourselves in a window where we can have success with those seasoned pros?"
None of this means success. The Gold Coast Titans, for example, unveiled a new roadmap at the end of 2021 pledging two NRL premierships by the end of 2030. Unless XXXX Derby trophies count, that deadline probably isn't going to be met.
But regardless of how well these early teams go, Chammas said the project's aim is to have the team be 'predominantly Papua New Guinean' by 2038.
"Regardless of what we achieve ... if we don't succeed in developing the pathways of Papua New Guinea - not just players, as well coaches and administrators - a team run by Papua New Guineans.
"If we don't do that, we've failed. Regardless of what success we have on the field."