Two of the visiting Fijian Residents squad that master minded a 40-18 victory over Group 11 at Apex Oval on Saturday night could be playing with Nyngan Tigers this year.
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Fiji team coach Semesa Cadrakilagi, a half-back or five-eighth, and creative winger Jone Yacadrau, are both waiting for the completion of visa clearances before returning to Australia.
“There’s only the visa things to be sorted out and we will be back here,” Semesa said.
Semesa, who works in rugby league development with former Country Rugby League development officer Steve McLennan in Fiji, will be playing in Australia for the first time.
He is a Fijian international and along with Jone will give Nyngan added flare in attack for Group 11 football this season.
At Apex Oval were a number of club officials from others Groups in the CRL including Cowra Magpies who were here to look at a number of players; as well as Cobar Roosters.
But the player they would have been impressed with was No.6 for the Fijians, five-eighth Netava Rokoliwa who was in everything. He is a real thinking man’s footballer who was rarely off the ball and virtually every attacking plan that happened revolved around him.
With his team having a more than an even share of the ball, it was Netava who gave his backs every chance to go forward and he was standout as man of the match, although nothing can be taken away from the performances of the winger Viliame Cagibula who scored three tries.
After losing by 72-0 points to Newcastle Knights the previous weekend, the visitors found the going much easier against a Group 11 side that was obviously short of a run. We did well to keep in touch for the first 65 minutes and trailed by just one converted try 24-18 at three-quarter time.
But with more ball at their want, the Fijians cut loose in the final 20 minutes and scored three unanswered tries.
From a Group 11 point of view, looking ahead to the new season, Dubbo CYMS off-season purchase Joe Williams played well. He delivered a great pass to Cobar’s Troy Hayman to score and his kicking in general play relieved a lot of pressure.
As well, second-rower David Robinson will be a welcome addition back in Forbes’ colours this season and big Moses Manu (Dubbo Macquarie) is going to be a handful for opposing defences.
He scored the first try but it was his defence that very nearly caused a major international incident when he laid out Fijian half-back Epeli Soro in a ‘late’ tackle right in front of the grand stand.
While Epeli was receiving treatment, the Fijian players on and off the field were demonstrating to anyone who cared to listen that they weren’t happy.
Despite that one incident the match was played in good spirits but in reality the visitors were bigger, stronger and fitter than the Group 11 side.
The last time Benjamin John played on Apex Oval he was the best player on the ground for Parkes in their Group 11 grand final win against Wellington.
He then went on and played for his native Fiji in the World Cup and fast forward to Saturday night when he again played well and scored a try.