Wearing the Vodafone Fiji Bati jersey holds immense significance for hooker Kurt Donoghoe, representing more than just his country. His connection to Fiji deepened during a family reunion he attended at age 12, and now, 12 years later, he proudly plays in front of his relatives.
At 22 years old, Donoghoe qualifies to represent the Bati through his paternal grandmother, who hails from the Thaggard family in Savusavu. He made his debut for the Bati in the previous year’s Pacific Bowl Championship in Papua New Guinea.
“This year, playing in Fiji makes me feel much closer to the jersey,” Donoghoe expressed. “I met family members for the first time, which was pretty special. Being able to play in front of them and receiving my jersey after the match truly strengthened my connection to Fiji, unlike my experience in Papua New Guinea last year. It’s much more meaningful to be here and see this side of my family.”
Though he has close friends competing for the Cook Islands Aitu, Donoghoe is focused on the upcoming match. He anticipates a challenging clash. “It will be an exciting game; they put up a good fight last year,” he noted. “I believe it will be a closely contested match. The Cook Islands have been developing their team, and they’ll be bringing a strong side against us, especially given our last weekend’s performance.”
The match is scheduled to kick off at 8:10 PM at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva. Donoghoe signed a one-year contract with the Dolphins and made his NRL debut in Round 1 of the 2023 season against the Sydney Roosters. He has since re-signed with the club until the end of 2025, playing a total of 10 matches for the Dolphins in the 2024 NRL season, with the team finishing 10th on the points table.