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A month ago, Tongatala won their fourth consecutive Pacific Netball Series title since 2022.
photo: Tonga Netball
Winning Tara Netball coach Jaqua Pori-Makea Simpson believes her team deserves the chance to play more netball Test matches against major nations.
But she also recognises the importance of continuing to compete with other Pacific nations and helping them grow in the game.
The team has won nearly every regional tournament it has entered, including the Pacific Games in Honiara last November.
A month ago, Tongatala won their fourth consecutive Pacific Netball Series title since 2022.
“We would like the opportunity to play against other World Netball member teams to gain better experience, test ourselves and improve our ranking, but there are many factors that can determine this, with funding probably being the biggest challenge,” she said.
“Despite our dominance, the matches against the other Pacific nations were still exciting and something we and our supporters are looking forward to.”
Tala coach Jaqua Pori-Makea Simpson (standing left) and team members with local Tongan netball players earlier this month.
photo: Tonga Netball
Last month, the Pori-Makaiah Simpson side sent four debutants, all under-21, to the Pacific Series in Brisbane, in addition to four players who played for the team last season.
She said it was part of their plan to continue the work done by others, such as World Cup captain Hulita Veve and the now-retired Moonia Gerrard.
and prepare for the upcoming 2025 World Youth Tennis Cup (NWYC2025).
Tonga will compete with other Pacific nations to qualify for the World Youth Games in Gibraltar later this year.
Pori-Makaiya Simpson was also full of praise for the team’s star striker Unike Pallavi, who showed off his skills for New South Wales in the Australian Premier Tennis Tournament.
She praised Pallavi for having a unique talent, saying “he plays netball very well”.
Pori-Makea Simpson spoke to RNZ Pacific about her team’s successes so far and plans for the future.
RNZP: How do you feel about Tara winning her fourth Pacific Tennis Series title?
Morgan Stanley Management System: Four championships and four more first-timers is really special for Tara. I think with every series win, the difficulty increases, the expectations increase, our opponents get better and better, and we are no longer unknown. We had a very tough time in this finals, but I think in the end it served us well. Our young team came through and showed tenacity and determination to win the series.
RNZP: What are your thoughts on the team’s performance and the opponents the team faced?
Morgan Stanley Management System: We tried and tested a few different combinations in this series and took the opportunity to move some regular players into different positions. There was no doubt that at times we felt a little uncomfortable and we lost some rhythm, but it’s also about development and learning, and we had a few great moments of inspiration.
It’s always exciting to play against any African country, they are all exceptional athletes and we struggle a bit against their style of play, so the more opportunities we have to play against them the better we can do.
“Singapore played incredibly neatly as always and it was hard for us to create turnovers and turn the game around like we usually do. They did a good job of controlling the tempo and speed of the game and it took us a little while to adjust.”
RNZP: Do you think Tonga should have been given more opportunities to play stronger teams in different tournaments? If Tonga had dominated the last four series, would they have needed to play Fiji and Samoa?
JPMS: We would like the opportunity to play against other World Netball member teams to gain better experience, test ourselves and improve our ranking, but there are many factors that can determine this, funding is probably the biggest challenge.
Although we dominated, the games against the other Pacific nations were still exciting and we and our supporters were looking forward to it. The gap was closing, Fiji had played well in the last three or four games and the results of those games could have been different, Samoa was building and Papua New Guinea was going to be a big winner in the future and their performance in the Pacific Games was very exciting. It was also important for those teams to play against us.
RNZP: What does this win mean for the Under-21 team as they prepare for the 2025 World Cup?
Morgan Stanley Management System: It’s an exciting time for Tonga with the Under-21 World Cup qualifiers set to take place in the Cook Islands in September.
Eight of the Tara players participating in this series are under the age of 21, two of whom are still in high school. The experience they gain from the Pacific Series is invaluable, not just in terms of playing time, but the environment and expectations of an event like this cannot be replicated and must be experienced firsthand.
Tongan teammates Julita Vivi (left) and Pallavi (right) are opponents in the Super Tennis Tournament. Vivi missed PNS this year, while Pallavi played for the championship team again.
photo: Instagram/Hulita Veve
RNZP: How would you rate the Under-21 players who play for Tara?
Morgan Stanley Management System: Throughout the week, the under-21s in the group continued to grow in strength, and it was hard to tell who was a veteran and who was making their debut. Four under-21s played starring roles in the finals, and with an average age of 20, the team had a bright future.
RNZP: Where to next?
Morgan Stanley Management System: Our Tara team have had a break from national team duty, they are back to complete their domestic netball campaign and we will turn our attention to the national under-21 team.
RNZP: Unnik Pallavi once again performed well. How would you rate her performance compared to the world’s top players?
Morgan Stanley Management System: There is no doubt that Uneeq Palavi is playing tennis at an exceptional level. She is an absolute talent and she deserves all the accolades. Uneeq is one of our most capped Tala’s, she made her debut at the age of 17 and now has 46 caps at the age of 22. We are proud to watch her grow and who she is as a person and to provide us with a platform to share that with you all.
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