Lilian Amazons will head into the Fiji Bitter Nawaka 7s starting tomorrow with a clear development-first agenda after fielding two sides to cover for a string of senior absences. Club secretary Neville Koop says the dual goal is to give younger players valuable tournament exposure and to build the attitude and dedication the club wants to see carried into the upcoming Marist 7s.
“We have a focus on attitude and dedication to their goals, so our goal is to have these girls come out of this tournament as better players than what they were when they started,” Koop said, adding that the club expects to use lessons from Nawaka to improve again at Marist in a couple of weeks. He stressed the tournament is as much about growth as it is about results.
Lilian Amazons have been depleted by national and overseas commitments. Koop said “two or three” senior players are in New York with the Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s for the New York 7s, while “three or four” are with the Vodafone Fijiana XVs preparing for a Test match. He also revealed four players are currently in the United Kingdom playing with a partner club – a sign of the club’s growing player pathways but one that leaves space for teenage prospects at Nawaka.
To maximise game time for the squad’s depth, the club has entered two separate teams. Lilian Amazon 1 has been drawn into Pool 2 alongside Drodrolagi Sisters, Team Up Against Drugs Police Blue and Ezers Womens. Lilian Amazon 2 will compete in Pool 1 with Kasabias Sinukakala, Loloma Heights and the Nawaka Womens team. Koop said the split gives more of the squad competitive minutes and will sharpen internal competition.
With many younger players stepping into starting roles, Koop acknowledged the challenge but remained optimistic about the club’s ambitions. “A lot of them are still teenagers; they are taking the places of a number of our senior players,” he said. The immediate target is the semifinals — and, with both squads in the mix, a longer‑shot dream is to have the two Lilian sides meet in the final.
The Nawaka 7s platform will test the club’s depth and the effectiveness of its development approach ahead of further tournaments on the calendar. For a club balancing international call‑ups and overseas placements, the competition offers a practical barometer of progress for younger athletes gaining high-level match experience in the absence of regular starters. Koop reiterated the club’s broader aim: incremental improvement after each tournament so the players continue to grow in skill and attitude.
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