The Kaiviti Silktails rugby league team are keen to build on an "emotional" first win in the Ron Massey Cup.
The Fijian side outscored the Dirty Reds six tries to three to prevail 36-16 on Saturday afternoon.
Kaiviti Silktails are on the board for 2021
— NSW Rugby League (@NSWRL) April 10, 2021
Star winger Vuate Karawalevu said, after starting the season with two losses, there was a lot of excitement at the final whistle.
"Coming through a off-season and pre-season we've been through a lot and having to adjust to the time and the weather. It's just a big relief for us," he said.
"We were happy, a few of the boys got emotional but we know that through our hard work during the week we managed to get that win."
A milestone victory at Mascot Oval continued a steady trajectory, that began with a crushing 56-6 defeat against title favourites St Marys two weeks ago.
In their second match, the Silktails came from 18 points down to push the Windsor Wolves all the way in a narrow 30-26 defeat, before securing their first win of the season on the weekend.
Vuate Karawalevu said the team was progressing every week.
"We've been doing video reviews of our last two games, looking at our weaknesses and we've been working on it," he said.
"The boys have really come together. For us Fijians when we keep on losing that's not us but it really came together.
"We knew we had to do something to change the way we played and especially the way we started our first half which we did really well, which managed to get us the win."
The Silktails will spend the 2021 season in Australia. Photo: Facebook/Kaiviti Silktails
It's been two months since the Silktails relocated to Australia to compete in the Ron Massey Cup, after last year's competition was cancelled because of Covid-19.
The squad has been embraced by the local Fijian community in Sydney but some players are finding it difficult to be so far from home, Vuate Karawalevu said.
"A few of the boys are finding it a bit tough. For some of them it's the first time for them to come on a plane to come to overseas.
"A few of the boys here are fathers now but most of us it's our bread and butter back at home, so it always motivate us to become better and stronger."
The next big thing
Vuate Karawalevu has experienced a rapid rise since swapping rugby union for the thirteen-man game.
The former Fiji secondary schools rugby star signed to play for the ACT Brumbies Super Rugby side last year before the deal fell through because of Covid-19.
The 195cm flyer, who readily admits he is still adjusting to the nuances of rugby league, has started all three games for the Kaiviti Silktails so far this season, but will won't be playing in the Ron Massey Cup for much longer after signing a two year deal with the Sydney Roosters.
The 19 year old, who listed Roosters brother Brett and Josh Morris as his favourite rugby league players, is set to complete his switch to Moore Park in July or July and will initially start out play in the Jersey Flegg Cup.
"The Roosters is a big club and there's been a lot of good players that have come out of it and have become the best and hopefully some day I will make it there," he said.
"That's the whole focus of having the Kaiviti Silktails, to see players coming from Fiji to proceed and pursue their dreams of playing in the NRL."
For now, Karawalevu and the Silktails are focused on building on their maiden win, with the Fijians back in action this Saturday away to the Western Suburbs Magpies.
