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Kaiviti Silktails set to relocate from Fiji to Sydney for 2021 NSW Rugby League season
By Richard Ewart on Pacific Beat
The Fijian rugby league team, the Kaiviti Silktails, are following in the footsteps of the PNG Hunters with plans to relocate to Australia full time next year to get around international travel restrictions.
In another significant development, the new club is about to sign off on a partnership deal with the Sydney Roosters NRL team.
The Silktails' debut in New South Wales' Ron Massey Cup competition in 2020 was successful but brief before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared.
They played just one game but it was a big win, 40-16, over the Windsor Wolves in Lautoka.
While state borders may be opening up in Australia, its international border is likely to be shut until late 2021.
That's prompted the Silktails' management to decide to set up camp in Sydney next year to guarantee they can take a full part in the 2021 season.
Coach Wes Naiqama conceded it's a move that could certainly pose personal problems for some players, but he has told Pacific Beat there is a big upside too.
"We had a chat about what the difficulties could be...and if they thought that was going to be a struggle, if they needed support along the way, I would always be there for them, but being over there for the whole 20 rounds or so, they get more exposure and more chance to be seen by the NRL clubs and that's a definite plus for the playing squad," Naiqama said.
When the 2020 season was called off, money that had been set aside to fund the Silktails' first year in the NSW competition set-up, was reallocated to the Elite Development Programme (EDP) in Fiji.
Chief Executive Steve Driscoll said it had a huge impact during the domestic season in Fiji, which wasn't affected by COVID-19.
"We've set up three training centres, one in Lautoka, which is our centre of excellence. And then we've put one in the Coral Coast at Sigatoka Methodist College, and we've set one up underneath the FNRL's headquarters in Suva," Driscoll said.
"The best part about what we've been able to do this year is we've got 90 guys training in these different pods. And it's been a bit of a roadmap put out to them all in terms of when we feel that there'll be ready to become Silktails. So a lot of those guys are long term projects, and they're fully aware of that and it's all being part of the education around those guys wanting to become Silktails players."
The Silktails' profile is set to rise significantly when they arrive in Sydney next year, with approval imminent for a partnership deal with one of the NRL's biggest teams, the Sydney Roosters.
Wes Naiqama said that is bringing plenty of excitement to the Silktails' camp.
"Some of them are Sydney Roosters supporters...for the chance for them to progress and play for the Roosters one day will be a great opportunity, but I just feel with that relationship we will become better managers, better coaches and better players," Naiqama said.
"I know there's an opportunity there too for our women's rugby league team to transition into playing at a high level with the Roosters, so all in all if it was to go forward it would just be a great thing not only for the Silktails but for rugby league in Fiji".
And while the Fijian team is based at their home away from home in Sydney in 2021, moves are afoot to ensure that their fans back in the islands don't miss out on following the action.
"A big part of relocating here [to Australia] is being able to create exposure in Fiji and for everyone back in Fiji to get to watch the team," Steve Driscoll said.
"We have spoken with the New South Wales Rugby League and the NRL about that. They think that it won't be an issue, so it'll just be purely around how that platform works. It's top of the discussions we're having with them at the moment and the indications are really positive that we can do that."
By Richard Ewart on Pacific Beat
The Fijian rugby league team, the Kaiviti Silktails, are following in the footsteps of the PNG Hunters with plans to relocate to Australia full time next year to get around international travel restrictions.
In another significant development, the new club is about to sign off on a partnership deal with the Sydney Roosters NRL team.
The Silktails' debut in New South Wales' Ron Massey Cup competition in 2020 was successful but brief before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared.
They played just one game but it was a big win, 40-16, over the Windsor Wolves in Lautoka.
While state borders may be opening up in Australia, its international border is likely to be shut until late 2021.
That's prompted the Silktails' management to decide to set up camp in Sydney next year to guarantee they can take a full part in the 2021 season.
Coach Wes Naiqama conceded it's a move that could certainly pose personal problems for some players, but he has told Pacific Beat there is a big upside too.
"We had a chat about what the difficulties could be...and if they thought that was going to be a struggle, if they needed support along the way, I would always be there for them, but being over there for the whole 20 rounds or so, they get more exposure and more chance to be seen by the NRL clubs and that's a definite plus for the playing squad," Naiqama said.
When the 2020 season was called off, money that had been set aside to fund the Silktails' first year in the NSW competition set-up, was reallocated to the Elite Development Programme (EDP) in Fiji.
Chief Executive Steve Driscoll said it had a huge impact during the domestic season in Fiji, which wasn't affected by COVID-19.
"We've set up three training centres, one in Lautoka, which is our centre of excellence. And then we've put one in the Coral Coast at Sigatoka Methodist College, and we've set one up underneath the FNRL's headquarters in Suva," Driscoll said.
"The best part about what we've been able to do this year is we've got 90 guys training in these different pods. And it's been a bit of a roadmap put out to them all in terms of when we feel that there'll be ready to become Silktails. So a lot of those guys are long term projects, and they're fully aware of that and it's all being part of the education around those guys wanting to become Silktails players."
The Silktails' profile is set to rise significantly when they arrive in Sydney next year, with approval imminent for a partnership deal with one of the NRL's biggest teams, the Sydney Roosters.
Wes Naiqama said that is bringing plenty of excitement to the Silktails' camp.
"Some of them are Sydney Roosters supporters...for the chance for them to progress and play for the Roosters one day will be a great opportunity, but I just feel with that relationship we will become better managers, better coaches and better players," Naiqama said.
"I know there's an opportunity there too for our women's rugby league team to transition into playing at a high level with the Roosters, so all in all if it was to go forward it would just be a great thing not only for the Silktails but for rugby league in Fiji".
And while the Fijian team is based at their home away from home in Sydney in 2021, moves are afoot to ensure that their fans back in the islands don't miss out on following the action.
"A big part of relocating here [to Australia] is being able to create exposure in Fiji and for everyone back in Fiji to get to watch the team," Steve Driscoll said.
"We have spoken with the New South Wales Rugby League and the NRL about that. They think that it won't be an issue, so it'll just be purely around how that platform works. It's top of the discussions we're having with them at the moment and the indications are really positive that we can do that."
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