Fijian players have all the natural attributes to excel in the sport of Australian Football League or AFL.

This is the view of AFL Development Manager in the South Pacific, Ben Drew, who was in the country this month to identify players that competed in the Oceania Cup in Suva for a stint in Australia next year.

“Our sports has a lot of space on that oval; there’s a lot of space for that natural Fijian flair and the Pacific flair. The skills and the natural talent to flourish in the game.”

Drew adds local players need not look further for inspiration than Fijian star, Nic Naitanui, who plays for the West Coast Eagles.

Meanwhile, several local players who impressed at the recent Oceania Cup in Suva have been selected to train in Brisbane, Australia next year, alongside players from Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Nauru and Solomon Islands.

The best players will then form an Oceania team to compete in the Queensland State Under-16 Championship.