In his first year of football, the tall, striking Fijian winger enjoyed a first-up premiership with the Fishies and this year he has played for Group 11 in the Centenary Trophy representative matches.

But tomorrow, Epa and his team-mates face a tough hurdle in their bid to win back-to-back premierships, when they come up against competition leaders Cobar Roosters at No.1 Oval.

While CYMS fans love to see his running and expertise under the high ball, there is more to the Epa than rugby league.

His family means so much to him and today he shares his life with Weekend Liberal readers.

Epa, the youngest of eight, grew up on the Coral Coast of Fiji.

But at the age of just 18 Epa Navale’s life turned upside down when he left his family and everything he knew to chase a dream of becoming a NRL super star.

Epa, as he is known to friends, is Dubbo CYMS’ flying winger, known mostly for his big heart and big hits on the footy field.

Today Epa Navale is nestled happily in South Dubbo with his wife Ada and their four kids Eparama junior, Lachlan, Destiny and Caleb.

But it is this man’s life story that has his mates in awe, proving that even those who come from having nothing can accomplish what most would only dream of.

Growing up in Fiji is something Navale is proud of. While he admits he didn’t have the opportunities there are in Australia, he still calls the island home.

“I always loved football,” Navale said.

“Me and the other kids in the village would play any chance we got and if we didn’t have a ball we would use a coconut shell or a plastic bottle.

“There could be 40 to 50 kids playing in the one game.”

It was from those games played on dusty village streets that Navale grew as a standout rugby league player.

He worked hard and excelled, playing in every school match he could.

Navale’s lucky break came after a St George Illawarra scout saw him play a schoolboy match in Fiji.

“A man from St George saw me play and offered me a scholarship with the club.”

It was obvious this young man had some ability and it was only a matter of time before that ability would mature.

At just 18 Navale boarded a plane bound for Sydney, leaving his family and everything that was familiar to him.

He took up the scholarship with St George for a year, playing in the Presidents Cup.

That one year with St George provided the stepping stones he needed to climb the NRL ladder.

Doors opened for the speedy winger as he took up offers with the Northern Eagles and Penrith, but it was his time with the Parramatta Eels where hiss true talent flourished.

His hard work and sacrifice had finally paid off. Epa’s dream of playing in the NRL became a reality when he secured a contract with the Eels in 1997 that would later see him play 35 first grade matches with the club.

“I played with Parramatta for three years and in that time I played 35 first grade matches,” he said.

“It was there that I met people like Dean Pay (CYMS coach) and Wes Maas who were all playing with Parramatta too.”

It was the relationships he made with these men at Parramatta that would later influence his decision to move to Dubbo.

Football success wasn’t the only thing Navale found in Sydney. He also met a Fijian woman named Ada who later became his wife.

The two met at a Fijian church in Sydney and a year later they had their first son, Eparama junior.

“We had Epa when I was 21 and the other three a year after each other,” he said.

“Ada and I were married just last year back home in Fiji. We had a tradition Fijian ceremony with all our families.”

It was this time last year that the Navale family moved to Dubbo, and with mates Wes and Dean already living here the transition was easy.

“Dubbo is a good place to bring up the kids.

“Playing with CYMS has been good, they look after me.”