Cook Islands Residents have arrived on the Gold Coast, Australia, for the 2024 Cook Islands Rugby League Tri-Series from September 27 to 29.

The Clive Nicholas-coached side left Rarotonga last Wednesday and has been holding training sessions to acclimatise to the conditions and work on their final preparations ahead of this weekend’s competition.

The biennial series returns after the Covid-19 break and will feature Cook Islands Residents team alongside the Gold Coast Cook Islands, New South Wales Cook Islands led by Charlie Hoff, and the Melbourne Cook Islands.

Originally, the team was set to include three Fijian-born, Cook Island-raised brothers, but due to eligibility rules, they were unable to join the squad. In their place, three young local talents ,17-year-olds Anapa Nicholas and Teina Ngametua, along with 18-year-old Nia Remuera have been selected, bringing fresh energy to the team.

Additional changes were made when seasoned players Robert Heather and Brian Akava had to withdraw due to family and work commitments. They have been replaced by Fortes Anthony, based in New Zealand, and James Strickland from Australia. These changes bring a mix of experience and youth to the team, with the inclusion of Delano Atai and Maeva Robati, both of whom are currently playing in the competitive Fox Competition in New Zealand.

“With the NZ and Australian players included, we gain a new dimension in our structure, which we aim to showcase,” said head coach Clive Nicholas. He is confident that the team’s blend of local and international players will create a strong lineup for the upcoming matches.

However, Nicholas stressed that the tour is about more than just competing. “The purpose of this trip is not only to make a statement on the field but also to give our young local players a taste of footy at a higher level in Australia,” he explained.

Many of the players have come through structured development programmes, but opportunities like this are rare in Rarotonga.

“We can’t lift the standard of footy here in Raro by playing against guys who don’t train seriously or treat it casually,” he added, emphasising the need to challenge the team against stronger opposition.

Nicholas is also using the tour as an opportunity to reintroduce traditional values to the team. “We’ve lost cultural and religious protocols in our sports groups,” he said, noting how other Pacific Island nations, such as Samoa, Tonga and Fiji, continue to maintain these traditions.

As part of the team’s preparation and participation, Nicholas plans to instil a sense of pride and purpose by practicing old church hymns familiar to many of the players.

“We’re not just playing for ourselves; we’re playing for God and country,” he stated passionately.

Ultimately, the goal of the tour is to provide the team with a higher level of competition, which Nicholas believes will have a lasting impact.

“Back in 2004, when we toured New Zealand, we returned with silverware, and five of us went on to represent the Cook Islands internationally. That tour raised the standard of rugby league here,” he recalled.

Nicholas hopes this current tour will have a similar effect, inspiring the players to bring back their experiences and elevate the level of rugby league within the Cook Islands.

“We need more than just an Avatiu and Tupapa grand final,” he concluded, urging the country to aim for a higher standard of competition.