Kaiviti Silktails General Manager Merioni Tuinanuya wears a variety of hats in her role with the Jersey Flegg Cup (Under 21s) team.
She lives on-site at the Silktails Centre of Excellence in Lautoka, where the majority of the playing squad is also housed and regularly sound her out about any issues they have.
“We have four or five players 20 years-old but the rest are under 20s some as young as 17,” Tuinanuya told nswrl.com.au.
“I’m sort of a mum, counsellor, pastoral helper. I want to be someone who is there as a friend – someone they can come and just pour out their feelings in confidence.”
Tuinanuya, pictured above with Tevita Wanisi (right) and Joseva Rateri, is one of two women on the Silktails staff – the other is assistant physiotherapist Vilimaina Tuivaga.
Tuinanuya is acutely aware of the advantage she has being a woman in Ruby League.
“In our squad at the moment, 70 per cent of our players are from broken homes, so we have those sorts of issues too,” she said.
“At the Silktails we want to create a family environment as well as teaching them how to be elite athletes.
“We want them to feel comfortable in their surroundings so they can do what they need to do.
“It helps a lot that they definitely love this sport of Rugby League. It’s what brings them together.”
It has not been an easy season so far for the Silktails in their debut year with the Jersey Flegg Cup. They are have come close a couple of times but the squad, that has a focus on development, is yet to win after 19 rounds.
“We are happy people who love to play sport. Certainly we go through our own processes to help the players disappointment, cheer them up, when results aren’t going our way,” she said.
“But they are learning to keep their chins up, keep fighting.
“We will continue to build this team and allow the boys to develop and keep learning.”
Previously the Silktails played in the Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup (2020-2023) before switching to become a development-focused club. They have an Elite Development Pathway (EDP) program up and running in Fiji, including high-performance gyms in three high schools to source potential players.
Tuinanuya actually set up a women’s Rugby League competition in Lautoka in 2017, but was appointed manager of the Under 18s Fiji women’s rugby union team in 2018.
She was lured back to Rugby League through the dogged persistence of Silktails Executive Director, Stephen Driscoll.
“Stephen was always talking to me about joining the Silktails and in November last year it finally happened,” she said.
“I’ve seen a lot of change in the players from the time they walked in November last year.
“To see where they are out now in their behaviour, their attitude, their mindset, is wonderful.
“I love their passion, their hunger and their drive to make themselves better.
“There is a real family bond between everyone. We have a great group of Board members who continue to support us and give the opportunity to the players – and it is a big opportunity for them.”
The Silktails playing in the NSWRL competition gives them exposure to other clubs and tiers like the Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup, Sydney Shield, The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup and the Hostplus Qld Cup.
The pathways can lead to NRL contracts or Test matches with the Fiji Bati national side. Already two Silktails players have played NRL and five have been selected for the Bati – four playing in the 2022 World Cup.
