Earlier this month representatives from St Kilda travelled to Fiji for the 2025 Oceania Cup, an under-16s competition bringing together the best emerging AFL talent from across the Pacific in a two-day tournament.
Working alongside local coaches and administrators, St Kilda supported the three competing nations, assisting with coaching, skill development and on-field education throughout the tournament. The club’s involvement focused on sharing high-performance principles while respecting and building upon the strong community-led programs already in place.
Beyond the on-field activity, St Kilda also presented awards and giveaways to players from across the Pacific, recognising not only performance, but effort, sportsmanship and a shared love of the game.
“There is a genuine excitement about AFL in Fiji, and you can feel how much it means to the players and their families,” Saints Community Participation Lead Goy Lok said.
“Anything an AFL club can do to support that growth and add high-performance practices is a meaningful step forward.
“AFL Fiji and AFL International have laid some great groundwork in the region in building pathways, participation and understanding of the game. Their efforts have laid strong foundations for competitions like the Oceania Cup to thrive and continue to grow.
“As a club we are so proud to play a part in something that is already building strong momentum.”
St Kilda Talent Identification and Player Movement Manager Simon Dalrymple was also in Fiji, observing the depth of talent emerging across the region.
“The passion and enthusiasm the Fijian players showed was outstanding,” Dalrymple said.
“The game is still developing in the region, but the willingness to learn, the athleticism and the coachability were clear. They adapted quickly to the conditions and embraced the coaching that was on offer.”
Dalrymple and the recruiting team helped identify standout participants who will go on to represent Oceania in Australia in 2026, continuing the pathway created through the combined efforts of AFL Fiji, AFL International and St Kilda.
