The Kaiviti Silktails Rugby League Club has formed a three-year partnership with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, concluding their four-year association with the Sydney Roosters. This partnership aims to unify the football programs of both clubs for the next three seasons.
Petero Civoniceva, the Chairman of Kaiviti Silktails and an NRL Hall of Famer, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, citing discussions with Bulldogs General Manager of Football Phil Gould. “Our club is excited to be partnering with the Bulldogs. Watching the rise of their NRL team this year and seeing what Phil Gould and Adam Hartigan have done with their Pathways Program made this deal a natural fit for us,” Civoniceva stated.
He highlighted the Bulldogs’ strong ties to Fiji and the significant Fijian community located in Canterbury-Bankstown. “In addition to our large Fijian community in the Canterbury-Bankstown area, the Bulldogs have been active in Fiji over the past two seasons, and we were impressed with their commitment,” he mentioned.
Civoniceva also expressed gratitude to the Roosters for their past support and wished them well in the future. “I would like to thank the Roosters, particularly Daniel Anderson, Craig Walker, and Dean Feeney for their support over the years. We wish them all the best,” he said.
Phil Gould remarked that the partnership with the Silktails enhances the Bulldogs’ initiatives in Fiji. “Having the Kaiviti Silktails join as part of our Pathways Program is an extension of our commitment to rugby league in Fiji. We look forward to helping them expand on their impressive development programs,” Gould noted.
This new agreement represents a significant advancement for the Kaiviti Silktails as they strive to cultivate local rugby league talent in Fiji.