HARD work and a strong junior pathway have put Dee Cee’s Nadera Panthers within touching distance of a successful finish to their national rugby league campaign.
Founded in 1992, the Nadera club has continued to underline its strength across the grades, with all five teams advancing to the national knockout stages this Saturday.
Coach Vula Dakuitoga believes that achievement is no coincidence.
“There’s nothing sinister about it. It’s just pure hard work,” Dakuitoga said.
The Panthers’ depth will be tested across three venues, with the U13 side facing Veiyasana Knights at Buckhurst Ground, while the U17s meet Makoi Bulldogs and the U19s take on USP Raiders at the same venue.
At Bidesi Ground, the U15 side faces Bukoi Bulldogs in the semi-final.
The Premier grade will then bring the Panthers’ campaign to the main stage at Buckhurst Ground when they meet Namuaniwaqa Sea Eagles in the final match of the day.
For Dakuitoga, the presence of all five teams at this stage reflects the work being done well before players reach the senior grades.
Training is organised across the junior teams, beginning with the U13s before progressing through the U15, U17 and U19 grades.
“We work really hard in terms of conditioning, the physical side of things, especially teaching the boys the real basics of rugby league,” he said.
Dakuitoga said the junior program had also brought another important element to the club — family support.
“When the juniors come, the whole family comes around,” he said.
That support has helped create a strong following around the Panthers while giving younger players a pathway to senior rugby league.
The system has also produced players now pushing for national honours.
Nadera has two players in the Fiji Bati extended squad, halfback Mesake Kurukitoga and forward Haunga Tokona.
Kurukitoga was part of Fiji’s 2022 Rugby League World Cup squad, while Dakuitoga described him as the organiser of the backline and Tokona as a key figure in the forward pack.
With the knockout matches approaching, Dakuitoga wants his players to treat Saturday as another opportunity to improve.
“For me, the team that I wanted to beat next week is Nadera this week,” he said, explaining that the Panthers needed to eliminate the weaknesses they showed the previous week.
That mindset will be central as the Panthers chase success across all five grades.
