THE Crest Fiji Pearls have no room for anything less than their best when they take the court in the Oceania qualifiers in Tonga.
That is the expectation from coach Michelle Parsons as the 12-member side prepares to face the Cook Islands tomorrow in Nuku’alofa, Tonga.
“Keep finding your new best,” Parsons said.
“All that’s going to be acceptable from us is our best. That’s the only expectation. It’s literally best at everything.”
The Pearls are in Nuku’alofa for the Oceania qualifiers, which run from September 14 to 19 and will determine which teams advance to the Netball World Cup 2027 in Sydney, Australia.
Parsons said Fiji has done its homework on each of the teams involved, with the players analysing their opponents and preparing specifically for each match.
“Tomorrow we’ll be doing the Cook Islands in depth.
“We’ll start with our unit focus tonight (Sunday night).”
She said the team will conduct a pre-brief before every game, with players focusing on what will be required of their individual units against each opponent.
For Parsons, there is no easy game and no opportunity to use a match simply to test combinations.
She said the biggest challenge for the Pearls is that there is no room for experimentation in the qualifiers.
Parsons said Fiji has to get it right, while also being prepared to adapt if something is not working.
“When you go to a big world cup and sometimes when there’s a nation that’s further developing you can try some combinations to literally confirm what your thoughts are or what’s working.
“There is no opportunity to do that this week.
“So we will literally be learning as we go and making changes that are best for the team as we go.”
If something is not working, Parsons said she will need to make changes during the campaign rather than using a match simply as a trial.
Either way, Parsons is confident the team will is prepared for the week ahead.
The pearls will have a final captains run today before their match using the session to go over their preparations and finalise the approach towards their opponents.
The five teams competing in the Oceania qualifiers in Tonga are Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Quinea, Cook Islands and Samoa.
