The Kaiviti Silktails made an unexpected 12-hour drive to dodge Cyclone Alfred but they managed to get to Sydney in time to play the Parramatta Eels in the opening round of the NSWRL’s Jersey Flegg Cup today.
Coach Timoci Duve said it was not the ideal preparation but his players took it all in their stride even though they went down 26-6 at Hammondville Oval.
The Silktails have been in a month-long training camp on the Gold Coast, where they won both pre-season trial matches against Queensland Samoa and the Redcliffe Dolphins.
As the tropical cyclone moved towards the coast, the team sent its gear bus to Sydney a day early on Wednesday with the team due to fly out on Thursday. But Coolangatta Airport closed so the gear bus returned and brought all the players down by road.
The Silktails tried to hire a commercial coach but nothing was available.
“We could not help it – it was just how it was,” Duve told nswrl.com.au.
He said the father of hooker Seru Kalounivalu also passed away in Fiji earlier in the week but he decided to stay and play the Eels game. The Silktails fly home to Fiji tomorrow (Sunday 9 March).
“A lot of things seemed to go against us but we didn’t want to forfeit the match,” Duve said.
“The boys coped quite well. Yes we didn’t get the win but I told them we just have to keep getting up and working hard and the results will eventually come.
“Our preparation in the pre-season has been very good but simple mistakes and not handling the weather got the better of us.”
The Eels-Silktails match was played in drizzly conditions, which led to poor handling from both sides. The Silktails also made things hard for themselves with a low completion rate.
Parramatta scored first-half tries to lock Saxon Pryke, hooker Jack Hudson and winger Bradley Avery for a 16-0 halftime lead.
Silktails centre Asalusi Nagicu crossed in the 52nd minute (16-6) but then Parramatta’s left-side winger Araz Nanva and back rower Domenico De Stradis put the result beyond doubt. Halfback Josh Lynn kicked three conversions.
The Silktails didn’t win a game in the 2024 Jersey Flegg Cup season – their first in the Under 21s competition – but they lost five by less than six points.
Today after fulltime players from both teams embraced at the end of the game, while the Silktails players sang a hymn of gratitude.
Lock Meli Nacaginimasei was one of the nine survivors from the team that lost Round 26 last August to the Wests Tigers. He said he felt a win was close.
“We have to work on our defence and most of all our mentality to keep on pushing and moving forward,” he said.
“We just need a little more effort in our training. We know we have to work extra hard because a lot of us don’t have a long history in Rugby League and Jersey Flegg is a tough competition.
“But we will keep trying. I know we will get a win soon.”
The Silktails Round Two game is against the Canberra Raiders at GIO Stadium next Saturday (15 March) before they enjoy three home games.
The Silktails are proudly supported by the Australian Government through PacificAus Sports. PacificAus Sports creates opportunities for Australian and Pacific athletes to learn, train, play, and grow together.
