FOR a player whose career ended far sooner than he would have wanted, Tui Kamikamica will have a lasting place in Fiji rugby league history.
The former Melbourne Storm forward and Fiji Bati captain will be honoured on Saturday when the Kaiviti Silktails and Melbourne Storm contest the inaugural Tui Kamikamica Bowl at Churchill Park in Lautoka.
The perpetual Bowl comes just days after Kamikamica announced his immediate retirement on medical grounds, abruptly ending a remarkable career that produced 142 NRL appearances for Storm and 23 Tests for Fiji.
His journey from Fiji to the top of the Australian game included two NRL premierships, 15 finals appearances, grand-final appearances in 2024 and 2025, and Storm Life Membership this year.
He also captained the Fiji Bati from 2023.
Kamikamica said having the fixture named after him was a special honour for his family.
“It is an honour for me and my family to be named for the Bowl games between the Silktails and Storm this week and for all future games,” he said.
“I truly appreciate all the love and support and I am looking forward to coming over for the game.”
For Silktails founder and chairman Petero Civoniceva, Kamikamica’s career represents exactly why the club was established — to show young Fijians that a pathway from the village and school grounds to the NRL is possible.
“For a young player in Fiji to be able to see the journey Tui has taken, from Fiji to the NRL, winning Premierships and ultimately captaining his country, shows them what is possible,” Civoniceva said.
Kamikamica’s playing career may have ended abruptly, but his legacy will continue through a fixture carrying his name.
The inaugural Bowl, part of the NSW Jersey Flegg Cup, kicks off at 11am at Churchill Park on Saturday.
For one of Fiji’s most distinguished modern rugby league players, it marks the beginning of a new chapter in a game he has served with distinction.
