TODAY’S Blast from the Past takes soccer fans back to the year 1978 — when cash-stripped Suva soccer came up with the idea of organising Battle of the Giants (BOG) tournament to rake in cash after the IDC of 1977 had been a financial disaster for hosts Capital City.
According to Fiji FA history books, the inaugural BOG was more than just fundraising tournament for Suva after the Capital City side had introduced the idea of sponsorship by signing a deal with district reps with Fiji Sun newspaper in the mid-seventies — carried their sponsorship deal further in orgainsing the first BOG — which was sponsored by JR White and Air Pacific.
It was under the presidency of late H P Singh, the then Suva secretary J D Maharaj and executives are credited for taking the initiative to orgainse a tournament with the prime aim of returning profits for the district.
In order to attract teams to participate, generous prizemoney and traditional trophy was at stake with sponsors offering air tickets, sports goods and incentives to boost the interest from district teams.
Suva had decided to host the tourney in Ba after the IDC was a big flop in Suva — the decision was fruitful as the Capital City side raked in good profit with the success of the giants’ meet.
Suva had agreed to give 30 per cent gatetakings to Ba Town Council, 50 per cent went to Suva soccer’s coffers and remaining 20 per cent was distributed among the participating teams.
And with the success of BOG, Suva was able to build its association headquarters at Knollys St.
Although, it was meant to be one tournament, BOG was retained by Fiji FA as one of its development programs to meet association costs.
August 1978, eight teams divided into two pools — Pool 1 headed by Suva, Nadi, Talevu/Naitasiri, and Sigatoka, while the second pool was seeded as pool of death had Ba, Lautoka, Labasa and Rewa were set to battle for top honours over three-day meet.
President Singh in his message in this newspaper wrote, “It gives me great pleasure to have this opportunity of writing a few words about the Battle of the Giants soccer tournament to be held at Govind Park.
“I particularly wish to thank Fiji FA, officials and players of the participating districts, Air Pacific, JR White and Company, Ba Town Council and everyone else associated with its orgainsation”.
As predicted by pundits, Ba and Nadi met in the final but it was the Jetsetters who were flying high after the lone goal by Rusiate Waqa after he stole the ball from Ba’s Bale Raniga and hammered home the winner.
Ba missed Semi Tabaiwalu who missed the final because of an injury.
After the match Nadi coach Mani Naickar said they wanted to beat Ba in Ba’s ground and that their win in the North-West tournament was not a fluke.
In the semi-final Nadi tamed the Babasiga Lions Labasa 1-nil after Prem Chand fired home a 30-metre winner and in the other semi-final match Ba managed to beat Suva on penalty kicks.
The Capital City boys gave Ba a good run for the money but it was Mun Lal who missed the deciding kick which Bale Raniga beautifully flicked away.
Fiji’s top striker late Farouk Janeman tried many times to break the deadlock in the final but the Nadi defence stood like a brick wall as goalkeeper Savenaca Waqa made some brilliant saves, giving Ba attackers no room to score.
Late in the match Ba slowed down and the defence opened.
Ba replaced Tubuna and Josateki with Qera and Waisea Kurivitu allowing Waqa to sneak in past Raniga to score the winner.
Nadi maintained the lead — killing the game with short passes until the final whistle was blown. Nadi was awarded with 15 return air tickets to Noumea, while Ba collected 15 soccer jerseys and balls.
After the tournament, Suva’s top gun J D Maharaj told this newspaper they were looking at $40,000 from the BOG meet but would take one to two weeks for the official financial statement to be finalised.
Since then, Nadi has won BOG five times, winning the last in 1996 and it has been 18 years since Nadi’s winless drought had continued — while Ba has cemented its name on the traditional trophy winning it 16 times, Rewa has on it six time, Suva and Nadroga have won it three times each while, Labasa, Lautoka and Navua have won ones.
All the best to the eight district teams for 2015 INKK BOG tournament, which kicks off next week at Ratu Cakobau Park in Nausori.
1978 Nadi 1-0 Ba
1979 Ba 0-0 Rewa
1980 Nadi 3-0 Ba
1981 Ba 2-0 Lautoka
1982 Suva w/o Ba
1983 Nadi 1-0 Lautoka
1984 Ba 1-0 Suva
1985 Lautoka 3-0 Rewa
1986 Nadi 1-0 Labasa
1987 Not played (Coup)
1988 Suva 0-0 Ba
1989 Nadroga 1-0 Nasinu
1990 Ba draw Suva
1991 Nadroga 0-0 Nasinu
1992 Ba 1-0 Lautoka
1993 Ba 1-0 Labasa
1994 Rewa w/o Ba
1995 Suva 2-1 Navua
1996 Nadi 3-1 Tavua
1997 Labasa 1-0 Nadi
1998 Ba 1-0 Nadi
1999 Ba 1-0 Tavua
2000 Ba 2-0 Labasa
2001 Ba 2-0 Lautoka
2002 Nadroga 2-1 Labasa
2003 Rewa 1-0 Ba
2004 Rewa 2-0 Nadi
2005 Navua 1-0 Rewa
2006 Ba 2-1 Suva
2007 Ba 2-1 Nadi
2008 Ba 2-1 Labasa
2009 Ba 1-0 Lautoka
2010 Rewa 1-0 Navua
2011 Rewa 0-0 Suva
2012 Ba 0-0 Labasa
2013 Ba 3-1 Lautoka
2014 Rewa 2-1 Lautoka
