The Melbourne Storm and Newcastle Knights have seen so many Fijians come through their system in Australia’s National Rugby League.
Current Fiji Airways Kaiviti Silktails coach Wes Naiqama and his younger brother Kevin, both came through Newcastle along with Akuila Uate, Tariq and Korbin Sims as well as Daniel and Jacob Saifiti.
The Storm has helped nurture some of Fiji’s best in the sport of rugby league including rugby coverts Marika Koroibete and Suli Vunivalu, Sisa Waqa, Semi Tadulala, Isaac Lumelume, and Tui Kamakamica.
“Both NRL teams playing in this match being the Storm and the Knights have a rich history of Fijians playing for their clubs. Players such as Koroibete, Vunivalu and Tui Kamakamica are all home-grown Fijians that have represented the Storm and have won NRL premierships with that club as well as representing the Fiji Bati at World Cup semi-finals.
“The Naiqama brothers who are both former Bati Captains in Wes Naiqama and younger brother Kevin are Fiji’s highest point scorers and most capped players respectively.
That along with the Sims brothers (Tariq and Korbin) who both played for the Knight at Origin level and for the Fiji Bati.
“Then you have Akuila Uate who came to Australia as a 15-year-old from Namatakula on the Coral Coast and has gone on to not only play for the Knights but represent New South Wales and Australia before returning to play for the Fiji Bati across three World Cup campaigns,” Silktails executive director Stephen Driscoll explained.
“Sharing the stories of these players and having them involved in the promotion of the game can help inspire the next generation of Fijians to want to play Rugby League.”
Driscoll said this trial match could be influential on a number of fronts including the Silktails.
“The first being that from a grassroots perspective if the match gets the right attention hopefully a match likes this can help boost participation across all levels of Rugby League in Fiji.
“From the local FNRL clubs participating in the Vodafone Cup right down to the schools that participate in the Fiji Secondary Schools competition.
“The other influence this game can have is attracting the casual fans in Fiji that normally don’t watch rugby league to come and watch the NRL and see how good our product is when played at the highest level.
“With those fresh sets of eyes watching hopefully this can bring a fresh set of corporate support that will be interested in getting behind Rugby League in Fiji.
“I think Fiji Airways have led the way with that by throwing their support behind the Melbourne Storm, becoming the NRL’s Official Carrier to the NRL Season opener in Las Vegas as well as becoming the Front of Jersey Sponsor for our club the Kaiviti Silktails.
“For us at we get the opportunity to help build on the back of this NRL game by participating in the Jersey Flegg under-21’s competition that will see us play against 13 other NRL Clubs in a 24 week competition and bring 12 home games to Fiji.
“That as well as playing matches abroad that includes the Gold Coast for our first trial then competition matches in Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Auckland will allow us to develop and showcase Fiji’s emerging Rugby League talent as well promoting Fiji as a destination of choice.”
The match will be played at Churchill Park in Lautoka on February 24.
