Captain's call: Maejiirs outlines plan to build NRLW pathway for Fiji talent

Fiji Bulikula captain Josephine Maejiirs wants to help bring some of the young talent playing in Sunday’s Pacific Championships clash with Fetū Samoa to the NRLW to help the team build for a shot at the next World Cup.

Maejiirs, who led the Bulikula to a 28-0 victory against Papua New Guinea in their only previous Test in 2019, is one of 14 Australian based members of the squad, with the remaining seven players being drawn from the local Fiji competition.

In comparison, Samoa and Tonga have much greater depth of talent to draw on from the NRLW but Maejiirs wants to help change that as three nations and Cook Islands prepare to vye for places in the 2026 World Cup.

“Our goal is to get into the World Cup and be competitive,” Maejiirs told NRL.com.

“There is going to be more Pacific Test matches leading up the qualification for the World Cup so that is why I am encouraging all of these young girls to come through so that we can prepare them for these upcoming games.

“There are not many Fijian girls in the NRLW compared to Samoa and Tonga, the ratio is much higher than Fiji, but the athleticism of the Fijian girls is incredible so we will work with them to pass on our experience.”

Maejiirs, who plays for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, is involved with a company that helps young Fijian players obtain education visas for Australia.

“We help them come to Australia, we give them accommodation, help them to study and then I can work with them to get into an NRL club, like the Rabbitohs or Bulldogs,” she said.

“That way we can grow our player base and come the next Test match, instead of them having only played local matches in Fiji we can have them polished and ready.

“That is my dream and I want to get these girls to come over and be exposed to the coaching level, the playing environment and professionalism.”

Among the local talent in the Bulikula squad is 21-year-old playmaker Grace Waqa, who is currently studying at the University of the South Pacific and was selected from USP Raiders.

Waqa has switched codes from rugby union and want to play in the NRLW, alongside the likes of Cronulla’s Cassie Staples, Talei Holmes and Sereana Naitokatoka, and North Queensland’s Vitalina Naikore and Merewalesi Rokouono.

“It is such an experience to come over here and play with these girls. We are learning more from them every day,” Waqa said. “I hope I can continue this rugby league journey and I want to play in the NRLW.”

Among the other local players in the Fiji squad are twins Alesi and Mere Kilawekana, while 27-year-old Burleigh Bears five-eighth Teaghan Hartigan will play alongside her 18-year-old sister Ebony Laing for the first time.

The sisters are the daughters of former Fiji Bati international Aseri Laing, who played for the Western Suburbs Magpies and Melbourne Storm.

“We want to grow the game in Fiji and this is a stepping stone to build a competitive edge for the World Cup,” Maejiirs said.

“At camp we are sharing knowledge; our local girls are getting so much experience and we are learning about culture.

“We have got amazing coaches, we have got Shane Morris from the Dolphins, and with what we have learned off field and what we are now learning on field, we are incredibly excited.”