In the latest development ahead of the McDonald’s Fijian Drua Women’s Super W campaign, 18-year-old lock Carletta Yee has emerged as one of the squad’s youngest signings and is preparing to step onto a bigger stage when the Drua open their season on June 6 against the NSW Waratahs. Yee, the youngest of five siblings, says the move away from home has been one of the hardest parts of beginning a professional rugby career, but family remains her driving force.
“My parents back home… they’ve always been there for me from day one,” Yee said, crediting both her mother and father for supporting her journey. The teenager described her family as her “number one motivation,” and said their encouragement has helped her stay focused through the rigours of pre-season and training blocks with the Drua setup.
Despite the pride in reaching Super W level, Yee admitted the emotional side of being away from home is real. “Being away from mum and dad isn’t easy… I miss them especially on the hard days after training,” she said, reflecting on the physical and mental toll of elite preparation. For Yee, it is the small comforts that are hardest to replicate on the road: “Just coming home to mum’s dinner and knowing that they’re there for me.”
Playing at lock, Yee is continuing to collect experience in a professional environment that has become an important pathway for Fiji’s emerging players. Coaches and teammates within the Drua programme have been working to integrate younger athletes into higher-level competition, offering game time and development opportunities that can accelerate growth for promising forwards like Yee.
The Drua Women’s opening match against the Waratahs on June 6 will provide an early test of how effectively the team has blended youth and experience ahead of the Super W season. For Yee, the fixture represents both a challenge and an opportunity to repay the faith her family and coaches have shown her by contributing on the field.
As the season approaches, Yee’s story highlights the personal sacrifices behind the headlines: an 18-year-old balancing homesickness and high-performance demands while carrying the hopes of a close-knit family. Her focus now is on converting that motivation into form, fitness and on-field impact as the Drua chase success in this year’s competition.