Tonga Netball has announced its Under-21 National Squad for 2024, with players vying for a spot in the World Youth Cup Oceania Qualifying Team competing in the Cook Islands in September.
Eight members of the Tonga Tala squad, which won their fourth consecutive Pacific Netball Series (PNS) title in June, are on this team. These players are Alice Cocker, Ana Kailahi, Lose Fainga’anuku, Lucia Fauonuku, Lata Holi, Liesl Hopoate, Emma Mateo, and Beyonce Palavi.
Head coach Jaqua Pori-Makea-Simpson talked about the importance of integrating young talent into the Tonga Tala squad when she blended in the eight Under-21s with the top Tala players during the PNS title competition last month.
“Our approach is probably a little bit different for this tournament, and we are using it as an opportunity to bleed in some new and young players and give them some experience,” Pori-Makea-Simpson said. “We’ve got the World Youth Cup qualifiers in September for under-21s, so we’ve got quite a young squad this time.”
Highlighting the youth focus, she added, “In total, with this group, we’ve got eight players that are under-21. To carry a squad of eight under-21s is really exciting for us moving into the next cycle, and the future of netball in Tonga.”
The Under-21 squad announced today includes: Alice Cocker, Isabella Fainga’anuku, Lose Fainga’anuku, Lucia Fauonuku, Lupe Fonua, Joesi Gisinger, Lillian Henare-Vaihu, Lata Holi, Liesl Hopoate, Ana Kailahi, Elisapeta Lousi, Soana Manuofetoa, Emma Mateo, Beyonce Palavi, Sovika Pousini, Siulolo Richter, and Jaelin Tulikaki.
