FIJI Airways Kaiviti Silktails head coach Wes Naiqama has explored multiple options in an effort to get better results from their away-games this season.
Travelling was a big factor in the Silktails Ron Massey Cup campaign last season, and it would be the same this year as they’ve joined the Jersey Flegg Cup which comprised of 24 rounds.
Last year, the Silktails lost all seven of their away matches which influenced their fate in making the semi-final playoffs.
The Lautoka-based club is set to play 12 rounds of matches in Australia this year with one to be held in Auckland against the Warriors.
Naiqama has been working closely with their strength and conditioning coach Vanavasa Niuqila on ways the club could address this.
“I think the first part of what we have agreed on is that we spend too much time abroad. If we have a Saturday game, we fly out on Thursday, captains run on Friday, play on Saturday and sometimes we come back on Monday so just that window and spending that much time overseas can sort of change the mindset of the players.
“Similar to what travelling teams would do when they come, they fly in the night before the game, play and then fly out straight away if there is a flight that evening or the next day, so we’ll play around with that,” the former Fiji Bati player explained.
“Bringing Pana across has been great because he has a strong sport science background regarding loads and the work rate of the boys.
We are looking at how much we do earlier in the week and maybe tapping off towards the back end considering the travel factors, so we’ll play around that too.
“There has been a lot of positive chat around that because he has had that experience with the Drua so all these little challenges make this journey exciting as we look to get the results we need.”
The Silktails return to camp today after their Christmas break and would embark on a five-week training before their two trial matches next month.
The Silktails will take on West Tigers in their opening match of the Jersey Flegg Cup at 4pm on March 9 in Sydney.
