World Footy News

With the first-ever Oceania Cup fast approaching, WFN has been talking with the six nations sending their best young talent to Fiji come the second weekend of December.

The tournament will see Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Nauru and hosts Fiji fielding under 16s teams, with matches played over the three days from Friday 11th of December until the following Sunday at Cathedral College in the Fijian capital Suva.

The Oceania Cup is also expected to produce the core group of the World 18 for next year's Australian junior state championships, opening the door for Pacific talent to be on AFL club lists within a matter of years, as well as a catalyst for a senior Oceania Cup next year.

In our first team preview, we spoke with the Hon. Mathew Batsiua M.P., president of the recently reformed AFL Nauru, about the junior squad (pictured at left) ready to represent the tiny, but footy-mad Pacific nation.

Mr Batsiua tells us the competition has been full revamped in Nauru this year, with a new constitution and office bearers. "I am the new President, Rayong Itsimaera is Vice President, Mike Aroi is Secretary, Samuel Grundler is Treasurer, and Andy Cain and Ann Hubert are ordinary members"

"The NAFA (Nauru Australian Football Association) is now defunct, therefore the competition is now under a new League called AFL Nauru. This year saw us hold a pre-season comp with four new clubs participating, and a twelve-week full season with six clubs participating. We had great support from AFL Oceania who donated the first sets of jumpers for the pre-season competition, along with some balls and equipment to get things going."

"We also started junior competitions for the U/17s with four teams and U/14s with three teams, along with our version of AusKick called 'Our Kick'."

As well as the rebuilding of senior and junior football structures, the AFL Nauru is keen to find the funds to build a grass oval on the island. Currently all games are played on Linkbelt Oval, pictured at left, which famously has a surface of crushed rock and can be severely inundated by rain.

Mr Batsuia says "One of our main targets is to build a grass turf, for safety reasons, but also to facilitate proper development of players skills and growth of the game. You'll see that we play under very tough playing conditions, yet our boys account for themselves very well against much bigger nations who are well supported and have excellent facilities. Just look at the outcomes of the International Cup 08."

"The full season was again strongly supported by AFL Oceania who sent over a trainer who conducted coaching and umpiring clinics as well as training sessions with all teams ranging from juniors to seniors. They also donated uniforms for the umpires. We were also very fortunate to receive sponsorship from Cargo Transport Systems a freight forwarding company based in Brisbane, who supported the League through 5,000 dollars cash sponsorship and trophies."

"We also received fantastic support from the new telco in Nauru, DIGICEL, who sponsored all jumpers used by teams in the full season."

The AFL Nauru senior Grand Final saw the Stingrays beat the Barracudas, but besides the main event, the day was also the first public appearance for the junior team heading for Fiji. Mr Batsuia rates the 23-member squad as a fairly even side, although three players expected to stand out are Yoshi Harris, Yoshi Kepae and Rico Scotty.

One aspect that greatly assisted Nauru's development leading up to the 2008 International Cup was an exchange program which saw Nauruans play footy for clubs in the area around Stawell in country Victoria. Unfortunately for the islanders, the program then went into hiatus this year due to visa troubles at the Australian end. Mr Batsiua states "We hope to reactivate the Stawell football exchange next year, however we still cannot find the right visa arrangement that adequately support our purpose."

"There are new visa arrangements now in place that will assist a bit, however these new arrangements are more geared towards elite sportspersons and it still does not adequately cater for the arrangements we have with the country leagues in the Stawell area."

With a population of less than 10,000, Nauru will be the smallest nation on display in Suva. However, with the nation's famous passion for the game and a rejuvenated domestic structure, the Chiefs will be keen to show they can match it with the rest of the field.