LABASA
1. Anish Khem
Khem has been one of the hard working players for Labasa in the midfield and even a defender. The 23-year-old Olympian had been one of the top players for Nadi when they won the Fiji FACT title last year.
2. Nickel Chand
Chand is one of the trumpcards of Labasa and his presence makes Labasa’s midfield strong with Khem and Edwin Sahayam. Chand may lack the needed height for aerial battle, but plays with a lot of courage, determination and commitment.
3. Ratu Apenisa Anare
Ratu Apenisa climbed up the ranks very quickly with Labasa last year and he scored a goal in the 2-1 win over Ba in the final. He fights hard to keep ball possessions and he is seen all over the field working tirelessly.
DREKETI
1. Peni Sokia
He is an utility. Sokia is returning from an injury after a few months and he is one player who have punished teams like Suva and Lautoka in the past. He has a very powerful shot and good skills to score goals.
2. Ashneel Raju
The former Fiji under-20 striker and brother of Labasa rep Anish Khem will lead Dreketi’s attack in the tournament. Raju is one of the good finishers for the northerners. If given a quality ball, he will definitely finish it off in style.
BA
1. Saula Waqa
Waqa is the top goalscorer in the 2017 Vodafone Premier League after he netted six goals for Ba. The lanky former Fiji U20 striker has improved a lot under the guidance of coach Imdad Ali since starting with Ba few seasons back.
2. Samuela Nabenia
Nabenia and Waqa’s combination could prove dangerous for Ba. The duo had been scoring some decisive goals for Ba and as they gained a lot of exposure playing in the OFC Champions League earlier this year.
3. Avinesh Waran Suwamy
Suwamy is known as local David Beckham for his powerful and curling free-kicks. He will play a pivotal role for Ba in the defence goals for Ba at crucial time. Ba fans will be keeping eye on him as he can even from a difficult angle.
LAUTOKA
1. Zibraaz Sahib
The 26-year-old has been a loyal servant for Lautoka for 11 years now and he can easily adapt to any position on the field. He is one player who toils hard for the Blues, whether in defence or on attack. He has won Battle of the Giants tournament at Ratu Cakobau Park last year. Sahib is very steady and alert defender making him one of the top players for Lautoka in the tournament.
2. Siotama Kubu
Utility Kubu was once a rugby player before switching to football. He could score a winning goal for Lautoka in the final given his height and speed. He can play in the defence, and attack which make him unique. The lanky Kubu is also known for his aggressive style of football.
3. Mohammed Shazil
Nippy Mohammed Shazil will be hoping to return to Lautoka with the Fiji FACT title as Ratu Cakobau Park proves to be his lucky ground. He has won the 2016 Battle of the Giants title where he scored a goal in the 2-0 win over Labasa in the final and again winning the 2017 Muslim Inter-District Championship last month. He is a very fast player and a creative goal scorer. He can easily beat the tall opposition defenders since he is slim built.
REWA
1. Madhwan Goundar
Goundar, solider by profession is a very steady player in the defence for Rewa this season. He is very a flexible player and does justice to any position he plays in Rewa team.
2. Epeli Saukuru
He had been a consistent player for Rewa. He has a vast amount of experience playing at different positions. He scored a goal in the 2-0 win over Ba in the 2015 Battle of the Giants tournament at the same venue.
3. Gabriele Matanisiga
The lanky Matanisiga is dangerous for opposite teams when it comes to set piece play where he has scored number of goals through the header. He was the new find of the tournament in 2014 Inter-District Championship playing for Seaqaqa. It will be interesting to see how Rewa coach Marika Rodu will use him in the tournament.
NADI
1. William Valentine
Valentine has been one of the crafty midfielders for Nadi. The Nadi fans would be anxiously waiting for him to weave his magic for the jet setters to defend their title again in Nausori. His ball control skills makes him one of the top players to look out for in the tournament.
2. Vereti Dickson
Dickson’s experience is a big boost for Nadi to win the Fiji FACT title second time in a row. The 28-year-old was the star for the jetsetters last year when he saved two crucial shots from the Suva players in the penalty shootout.
RAKIRAKI
1. Zainal Hussein
The 19-year-old will be a player to watch for Rakiraki as he has gained the much needed confidence after scoring a goal against mighty Lautoka in the national league which ended in a 1-all draw. He will be making his first tournament debut.
2. Abinesh Salesh Samy
He will be guiding their young team. He is one of the veterans. Samy a former national striker represented the Lautoka district team for more than a decade and now represents Rakiraki. Samy’s experiece will be an asset for Rakiraki.
SUVA
1. Setareki Hughes
The 2016 Fiji FA Footballer of the Year will be a player Suva will be relying on to help them win the Vodafone Fiji FACT title. Hughes has been regarded as one of the finest finishers in the country. He has only scored a goal in the national league season but he cannot be ruled out with his skillful and deceptive playing style. He can easily switch to midfield and change the flanks under coach Shivam Nathan.
2. Ravnesh Karan Singh
Singh will be a thorn for the opposite teams in the tournament. His speed and ball control has been his strength in the past. He has scored five goals this season. Singh looked impressive in the training.
