Kaiviti Silktails ‘Clubman of the Year’ for 2022 – Sunia Naruma – has been handed the honour of being the new club captain for the 2023 season.
Naruma, or ‘Suji’ to his teammates, takes over from prop Apakuki Tavodi, who is one of six Silktails players recently signed by the Ipswich Jets to play in the QRL’s Hostplus Cup next year.
The Jets will be one of the feeder clubs for the Sydney Roosters NRL side.
The Silktails will continue to play in the NSWRL’s Ron Massey Cup – the second-tier competition in the state.
Silktails Executive Director Stephen Driscoll said the 22-year-old Naruma, who plays centre and five-eighth, had developed his game solidly over the past two seasons in Sydney.
“Suji came to us at the end of the 2020 season from the Coastline Roos Club in Sigatoka after switching from Rugby Union,” Driscoll said.
“After being selected in our 2021 Silktails squad, he spent that year training in the day with the Silktails RMC Squad then in the afternoons with the Sydney Roosters Jersey Flegg squad.
“The plan was for him to play Jersey Flegg in 2021 with Vuate Karawalevu, and after nailing down a spot at five-eighth for the Silktails, he never got the chance to make that Roosters Jersey Flegg debut when the 2021 competition was abandoned mid-season due to COVID.”
Naruma returned to Australia in season 2022 and became the youngest member of the club’s leadership group, continuing to impress on the field.
Away from football Naruma was a volunteer helping the club’s community partner, the PCYC, with programs and activities for young children.
“Suji’s skill as a player and the way he presents himself off the field is exactly the person we want to lead us into our first season back playing in Fiji since 2020,” Driscoll said.
Due to the COVID international border restrictions, the Silktails completed their pre-season and regular competition games in both 2021 and 2022 while living full-time in Sydney.
Naruma was humbled by his appointment.
“I'd like to acknowledge my coach and the management team for re-signing me with the Kaiviti Silktails for 2023 and to be given the opportunity to lead our team as new captain is every Fijian kid’s dream come true,” he said.
The Silktails start their pre-season in mid-November at the club’s high performance centre in Lautoka.
The Silktails’ participation in the NSWRL’s Ron Massey Cup is proudly supported by the Australian Government through PacificAus Sports.
The NSWRL receives funding from the Australian Government through PacificAus Sports to support the Silktails’ participation in the NSWRL’s Ron Massey Cup.
