Elias Paiyo

Elias Paiyo

Personal information
Born	1971 or 1972 (age 52–53) Wabag, Papua New Guinea
Playing information
Position	Centre, Halfback, Hooker
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P Port Moresby Vipers 1997 Adelaide Rams 6 0 0 0 0 Total 6 0 0 0 0 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1995–00 Papua New Guinea 9 3 8 0 28
Source: RLP

Elias Paiyo is a Papua New Guinean rugby league player who represented his country in the 1995 and 2000 World Cups.

Playing career

A Port Moresby Vipers junior, Paiyo represented Papua New Guinea in sevens at the 1994 World Sevens tournament.

He was first selected for Papua New Guinea national side in 1995 when he was named in their World Cup squad. Paiyo started from the bench during the tournament but also kicked goals for his side. He again played for the Kumuls in 1996 when he kicked only three conversions from eight attempts as they lost to Great Britain 32-30. During this time he was a junior at the Canberra Raiders club in Australia.

In 1997 he joined the new Adelaide Rams franchise and played in their inaugural match on the 1 March. He went on to play in six games for Adelaide that season. He later spent time in the lower divisions for the Parramatta Eels, Canterbury Bulldogs and Penrith Panthers.

Paiyo was again named for the Papua New Guinea squad for the 2000 World Cup where he again appeared off the bench.

He was not selected for the Kumuls in 2001 due to a selection polciy excluding players from the New South Wales competition. In 2003 and 2004 Paiyo played for the Sydney Bulls in the Jim Beam Cup.

He retired in 2007 and now resides in the Gold Coast of Australia.