Rokoura To Finalise Pearls Squad
Fijian Pearls head coach Unaisi Rokoura will name her 15-member side for the PacificAus series next Monday after having their final trials yesterday.
The PacificAus Series will be from October 16-21 at USC Stadium in Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia.
The Pearls will take on Pacific counterparts Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga.
The 25-member squad named early this month was a mixture of seasoned players and schoolgirls.
They have been training together for the past two weeks.
The Fijian Pearls extended squad during their final trials at the Vodafone Arena, Suva on September 22, 2022. Photos: Netball Fiji
“There has been amazing performance from each individual player. We are just fine tuning some of the areas to work on as an extended squad,” Rokoura said.
“We had specialist camp and this week has been about putting everything on the court in terms of game situation.
“It has been an amazing two weeks of training.”
The seasoned players on the side include, captain Alisi Naqiri, Vaiti Waqatabu, Unaisi Rauluni and the Rusivakula sisters: Afa and Maliana while secondary school girls are Adi Cakobau School duo, Alisi Neisulu, Nina Nakula and Suva Grammar School’s Elina Drikibau.
“Having the secondary school players come in to join the Fiji Pearls is a step up. It has a great opportunity to have two of our players represent the PacificAus sports team; Drikibau and Nakula,” Rakula said.
“They returned on Wednesday night, they are both athletes, it was much easier when they joined netball as they have been playing since primary school.
“We have an open door policy which encourages the younger girls that nothing is impossible.”
Waqatabu has also fully recovered from injury after missing out in the Oceania Netball World Cup qualifiers in July.
“Vaiti returns with experience and connects well with young midcourt players. She has fully recovered after going through great work with our conditioning programme and physiotherapist team as well.”
Story By: sereana.salalo@fijisun.com.fj
