[Source: Kaiviti Silktails Rugby League Football Club / Facebook]

They may be still searching for their first win in the New South Wales Rugby League Jersey Flegg competition, but Kaiviti Silktails Chair Petero Civoniceva firmly rejects the idea of recruiting overseas players.

The NRL Hall of Fame and former Fiji Bati captain says that bringing in foreign talent would undermine the club’s mission of developing local Fijian players.

“This concept was born from my experience in the 2013 World Cup, where local players highlighted the lack of pathways in Fiji. Recruiting overseas players might get quicker results, but it would block the path for local talent.”

[Source: Kaiviti Silktails Rugby League Football Club / Facebook]

Under the leadership of Executive Director Stephen Driscoll, Silktails are committed to nurturing local talent through its Elite Development Pathway Program.

Despite a challenging debut season, with most players coming from rugby union backgrounds, Driscoll remains optimistic about the future.

The club is also focused on building local staff, with Caretaker Coach Timoci Duve being groomed for the head coach role.