TWENTY-ONE years ago, men’s netball in Fiji was quiet. It existed on borrowed courts and borrowed belief, carried by players who loved the game but were rarely taken seriously. There was no funding line, no clear pathway, and little visibility. What sustained the sport was courage, community, and a refusal to let it fade.
That silence is gone.
The 2025 Fiji Men’s and Mixed Netball Association National Championships marked a clear moment in the sport’s evolution. Not just a competition, but a statement of intent. Men’s and mixed netball in Fiji are confident, competitive, and grounded in purpose.
At the foundation of this journey is Adi Alisi Toganivalu Tabete, former President of Netball Fiji. Alongside Alini Sovu, she played a defining role in forming FMMNA at a time when men’s netball was questioned and often dismissed. Their leadership created space where none existed and gave the sport legitimacy to grow.
The Tabete Shield remains a powerful symbol of that vision. Fiercely contested each year, it represents leadership, inclusion, and responsibility. Districts fight for it not only for prestige, but for what it stands for. Legacy.
This year also introduced the Ratu Marika Toroca Logavatu Shield for the overall champions. Ratu Marika, known as Tuma, was a respected teammate and a dominant holding shooter whose presence shaped many players. The Logavatu family’s decision to gift the shield and prize money anchored the championships in memory and gratitude, reinforcing that people remain at the heart of the sport.
On court, the growth was clear. Five grades competed Under 19 Men, Under 23 Men, Open Men, Open Mixed, and Mixed Masters. The Under 19 grade, introduced in 2023 as a deliberate investment in youth development, delivered one of the tournament’s most compelling finals. Young players competed with composure and intensity, many appearing in their first national final.
The Mixed Masters grade, the 40 plus category, highlighted experience and control. Lautoka Maroon defeated Tailevu Doves to claim the Moape Ravudolo Shield, demonstrating that skill and discipline endure.
Suva emerged as overall champions, winning two of the five grades and becoming the inaugural holders of the Ratu Marika Toroca Logavatu Shield. More telling than the results was the standard of play. Faster transitions, stronger physical contests, and improved tactical awareness. The sport has matured.
This progress aligns with global shifts. World Netball has formally recognized men’s netball as an international discipline. A Men’s Netball World Cup is now established, with the next edition to be hosted in Australia. Discussions around inclusion in major multi-sport events, including the Olympic movement, are active and ongoing. Fiji is positioning itself within that future.
Growth, however, has not come with financial security.
FMMNA has no guaranteed source of income. There is no standing funding stream or commercial base. The association operates through partnerships. It survives through partnerships. Every championship, development pathway, and advocacy effort exists because partners choose to invest in the community and the values the sport represents.
That reality was most visible under the #PlaySafe banner.
Using its national stage, FMMNA addressed rising HIV cases, particularly among young people and key populations. Through partnerships with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji, and the Pacific Sexual and Gender Diversity Network, point of care HIV testing and peer education were available at the venue.
For many players and supporters, this was their first time accessing testing in a space that felt familiar and free of judgement. Sport became an entry point for care and responsibility.
FMMNA President Myron Williams, now in his third year and entering the final year of his term, says the work is driven by commitment rather than resources.
“Men’s and mixed netball in Fiji have reached this point because partners chose to invest in people, not just a tournament,” Williams said.
“We are deeply grateful for that funding and support. It gives us the space to compete safely, to lead on issues like HIV, and to build a future that is structured, inclusive, and unapologetically ambitious. This is more than a sport. It is identity, it is family, it is community. It is us.”
With active districts including Suva, Lautoka, Tailevu, Nasinu, Naitasiri, Nadi, and Savusavu, the focus is controlled growth and stronger pathways.
Looking ahead, FMMNA plans to expand in 2026 by delivering two separate national events, a Mixed Netball Nationals and a Men’s Netball Nationals. The mixed competition already features Baby Pearls, current Fiji Pearls, and former national representatives, while the men’s game continues to define its own identity.
Twenty-one years on, the vision of Adi Alisi Toganivalu Tabete is firmly embedded in the sport. Men’s and mixed netball in Fiji are no longer emerging.
It is established, intentional, and moving forward.
Winners :Open Men (Tabete Shield) – Suva, Open Mix (Rokoura Shield) – Nasinu, U23 Men – Suva, U19 (Myron Williams Trophy) – Nadi, Mix Masters (Moape Ravudolo Shield) – Lautoka
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