Fiji Bati star Kevin Naiqama trains at Albert Park in Suva. 17 October 2024 Photo: Facebook / NRL
The first round of the Pacific Bowls rugby league championship kicks off in Suva on Saturday.
Four teams, two men's and two women's sides, will feature at the National Stadium in Laucala.
Three have travelled into the Fijian capital for the event - Samoa, Tonga and Papua New Guinea.
In an all-Polynesia battle, Samoa and Tonga will open proceedings in the women's competition.
That kicks off the tournament before the Kumuls face off against the Fiji Bati at 8pm in the main match.
Bati eye revenge
The Fiji Bati want a win at home to kick start their campaign.
The return of star players Viliame Kikau and Tui Kamikamica, plus the inclusion of former Kangaroo and Mate Ma'a Tonga rep Michael Jennings has boosted the side as they work on avenging their loss to the Kumuls last year.
Head coach Wise Kativerata knows the Kumuls will be aggressive.
But he is confident his team will be able to weather the storm and remain focused on their game plan.
"Papua New Guinea, they play a very aggressive style of football because their nation is run by rugby league like here, we have the rugby union but the rugby league in Papua New Guinea is massive," Kativerata told the media in Suva.
"They'll get up on your face and try to intimidate you, but we are going to weather the storm, and our boys need to be ready and focused.
"We need to focus on ourselves first and we can build from there, before the game day."
Kativerata said they aim to win the game and start well but understands the challenge will not be easy.
He said the players fully understand what it means to be playing at home, with talks in camp of avenging the loss to the Kumuls in Port Moresby last year.
Former Kangaroo and Bati star Jaryd Hayne has been recruited as team mentor for the tournament.
He said the clash is an important one, especially with the younger players included with some of Fiji's own NRL stars.
Hayne said the game is been a long time coming for players with Fijian heritage to return and play in front of their fans and families at home.
"This is an exciting time for the players, especially playing at home," he said.
"Rugby league has come a long way from the time we used to camo at the army barracks and now camping at the GPH Hotel.
"For our younger players having the opportunity to play alongside some of the stars of the NRL and having the guys with Fijians links to come back and understand our culture and be around it and be around the team environment, it's been awesome."
The Bati have named a strong lineup, which also includes Panthers' NRL winner Suina Turuva at fullback, Kevin Naiqama and Maika Sivo.
Fiji Bati: Sunia Turuva, Semi Valemei, Maika Sivo, Taane Milne, Jethro Rinakama, Michael Jennings, Kevin Naiqama, Waqa Blake, Kurt Donoghoe, Caleb Navale, Kitione Kautoga, Viliame Kikau, Tui Kamikamica, Jordan Miller, Nathan Kegg-Smith, Kylan Mafoa, Ben Nakubuwai, Peni Tagituimua, Joe Lovodua, James Valevatu, Bayleigh Bentley-Hape.
Papua New Guinea Kumuls at training at Albert Park in Suva. 16 October 2024 Photo: Supplied / PNG Kumuls Media
Kumuls wary of Bati
News of the possible admission of Papua New Guinea into the NRL competition in 2026 has boosted rugby league in the country.
So much so that assistant PNG Kumuls coach Paul Aiton believes the news will boost the side as they tackle the Bati on Saturday night.
"It's a great thing. It's going to be a really great thing for the country," he told RNZ Pacific at Albert Park in Suva this week.
"There's so much positives that's going to come from it. It's going to export a lot of men and women from our country.
"It's going to give a lot of opportunities for PNG and possibly Pacific players as well."
Aiton knows starting well against the Fijians is critical for the side, especially witj the chance to gain promotion into the Cup competition on the line as well.
This year's event has an added incentive, with the introduction of the promotion and relegation series.
That will see the top team from the Pacific Bowls playing the bottom placed team from the Pacific Cup.
The winner moves into the Cup and the loser to the Bowls in 2025.
Aiton said that makes this year's competition interesting.
"The promotion relegation puts a lot more pressure but it is a really good thing," he added.
The Kumuls will be relying on the bond and understanding of the Hunters players in the team, boosted by experienced hands who play their game in England.
One of them is Lachlan Lam, a key player for the side.
Lam said the Bati will start as favourites, with the home crowd behind them.
"They (Bati) are a good side and we have had some close battles in the past and we will do it again this weekend,' he said.
"We are focused on what we need to do and hopefully we will be able to execute well to win the game."
The Kumuls have named a strong team, as new head coach Jason Demetriou gets his first chance to show his worth in the position.
PNG Kumuls: Nene Macdonald, Elizah Roltinga, Robert Mathias, Rodrick Tai, Robert Derby, Kylie Laybutt, Lachlan Lam, Valentine Richard, Judah Rimbu, Jacob Alick Wiencke, Ryse Martin (Captain), Jeremiah Simbiken, Jack de Belin, Liam Horne, Koso Bandi, Sylvester Namo, Ila Alu, Daniel Russell.
All-Polynesian battle in women's clash
Saturday's opening game will see the Samoan and Tongan women clashing.
Both sides have players who have played in the women's NRL competition over the last two years.
The sides will not only contest the Pacific Championships, but this year's matches will also double as qualification for the 2026 Women's Rugby League World Cup.
Tonga has named Vanessa Foliaki and Natasha Penitani as co-captains, with Ana Malupo, Kate Fallon, Tecan Dymock, Kalosipani Hopoate and Lavinia Tauhalaliku also included in their match-day 17.
Tonga, who were 14th in the latest IRL World Rankings, will play 24th ranked Samoa in Fiji on October 19, with Fiji - ranked 26th - to host sixth ranked Cook Islands on October 26.
The two winners will meet in Auckland as part of a double-header with the Kiwis-Tonga men's clash; the victor becoming the seventh nation to qualify for the women's World Cup.
Australia, England, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea automatically qualified as semi-finalists at the last World Cup in 2022, while France and Wales joined them after topping their pools in European RLWC2026 qualifiers.
The NRL said Pacific Bowl runner up will have a chance to secure the eighth and final spot at the 2025 World Series, in which they will be pitted against either Greece or Ireland and the winners of Americas and African qualifying tournaments.
"It will be the first time that Tonga could potentially qualify for a World Cup, so it is going to be a really big end to the year," Penitani told NRL.com.
"To think of the amount of Tongan players that there are in the women's game, it would be amazing to be able to represent those girls."
Penitani, who played for the Jillaroos in 2019, switched to Tonga last season to honour the memory of her Tongan-born father Solomon and played alongside sister Natasha, who is a backrower for Wests Tigers.
Sharks team-mates Tegan Dymock and Vanessa Foliaki, Eels five-eighth Cassey Tohi-Hiku, Cowboys pair China Polata and Lavinia Tauhalaliku, Wests Tigers forward Amelia Huakau (Née Mafi) and Titans prop Dannii Perese were also in the Tongan team which lost 28-10 to the Kiwi Ferns.
Other players include Raiders captain Simaima Taufa, Broncos centre Mele Hufanga and Roosters prop Pani Hopoate.
Samoa also have all overseas-based players in their squad.
Titans star Evania Pelite headlines a strong Fetu Samoa squad, choosing to represent her heritage for the first time in a bid to help the Pacific nation qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The NRL said Pelite adds the Fetu blue jersey to her impressive resume, which includes an Olympic Gold medal with Australia in Rugby 7s, the 2022 World Cup with the Jillaroos and the recent Women's State of Origin series with Queensland.
Head Coach Jamie Soward said they are excited and focused.
"We have so much to play for this year, with a great opportunity in front of us to represent Samoa proudly and play in meaningful games," he said.
"The fact that these games are also World Cup qualifiers adds greater importance and we will need to draw on every bit of Samoan pride to progress to where we want to get to."
The side defeated Fiji last year.
Destiny Brill, Sienna Lofipo and Annetta Nuuausala are among the players returning from the victorious 2023 campaign and will lend their experience to a Fetu Samoa side determined to have an impact in this year's tournament.
"With players from last year's campaign returning, we are confident we have an exciting mix of young up and coming players who bring energy, and experienced players who can make the right plays in big moments.
"One step at a time, and we need to be good against Tonga first and then move forward from there."
The winner of that match will play the winner of Cook Islands and Fiji for the chance to progress to the 2026 Women's Rugby League World Cup.
Tonga: Ana Malupo, Leio Fotu-Moala, Litia Fusi, Kate Fallon, Lavinia Tauhalaliku, Emmanita Paki, Cassey Tohi-Hiku, Kalosipani Hopoate, Montana Fonua, Tegan Dymock, Manilita Takapautolo, Vanessa Foliaki ©, Natasha Penitani ©, Tatiana Finau, Filomina Hanisi, Danni Perese, Paea Uilou.
Samoa: Evania Pelite, Mercedez Taulelei-Siala, Lindsay Tui, Sarina Masaga, Jessica Patea, Tavarna Papalii, Pauline Piliae, Annetta Nuuausala, Destiny Brill, Laikha Clarke, Monalisa Soliola, Christian Pio, Sienna Lofipo, Jetaya Faifua, Simone Karpani, Pihuka Berryman-Duff, Evah McEwen, Jasmine Fogavini, Makayla Eli, Shontelle Stowers.