2 replies to this topic

[deluded pom?]

http://www.fijitimes....aspx?id=191636


Knights academy

Emoni Narawa
Tuesday, January 24, 2012


NEWCASTLE Knights Rugby League Club has expressed interest in setting up an academy for secondary school players in Fiji.

The National Rugby League (NRL) powerhouse is the first NRL club to express its interest in developing young local talent.

The Knights had recruited the services of Fijians like blockbusting winger Akuila Uate, Wes and Kevin Naiqama and now new signing and former Fiji sevens skipper, Watisoni Votu who will be on trial for the next couple of months.

Fiji National Rugby League general manager Steve McLellan said this was good news for Fiji.

"I am going to Australia to have meetings with NRL clubs. Some of them have shown interest in building academies here in Fiji so we are grateful for their help," he said.

"Newcastle Knights have already declared their availability to assist FNRL so we are looking forward to an exciting year ahead of us. We will have academies here in Fiji, I believe this is a giant step in further developing the sport in Fiji," McLellan said.

McLellan said the Rugby League World Cup would be the primary focus of FNRL as they try to field the best ever team.

"Our main focus is the world cup. We will want to expose our players to top level of competition and al¡so we will try to secure the services of NRL players.

"We are quite happy with the ways things are going on now. We are just keeping our fingers crossed and hope that everything will fall into its appropriate places as we gear up to the world cup," said McLellan who flew out of the country last night.

Meanwhile FNRL has welcomed the decision to form a new Queensland Fiji Rugby League.

McLellan said QFRL would mainly focus on developing youth and junior players.




Fantastic if it happens. Downside could be if some players make the grade and are Australianised overnight.

[Southern Tiger]

Is this an initiative SuperLeague clubs could adopt in Wales, Ireland
and Scotland?

Edited by Southern Tiger, 26 January 2012 - 08:27 AM.

[paley]

Is this an initiative SuperLeague clubs could adopt in Wales, Ireland
and Scotland?

Fiji is probably a bit cheaper