Fresh Off The Field

After some nervous months, the people of Palau are ready and excited to welcome the Pacific to Micronesia for the Mini Games. 'The Island Times' editor Leilani Reklai jumps on to tell us the special way each of the 16 states will be assigned to a different nation to cheer them on, what sport Palau thinks they have the best chance in and importantly, what food will be on the menu. Sam Wykes is also...

Sam Wykes is joined by Papua New Guinean Patricia Keamo and Tongan Kalo Manu-Moli to see how both nations preparations are going for the Palau Mini Games in just over a week. TASANOC's Netina Latu Vea also lays down the gauntlet from Tonga plus PNG Rugby League legend David Mead talks through his career post footy and the PNG NRL team. There's news in the worlds of pickleball, cricket, tennis, swi...

Kuini Vuli was one of the first Fijian women to referee rugby sevens at the highest level but after a life changing cancer diagnosis, her new goal is to usher in the next generation. We hear from Vuli about the challenges that made her, why trust in her faith led Vuli back to rugby and what it's like being a woman in the world of Fijian rugby now compared to 25 years ago. Jamie Haro from PNG and M...

Entering the "pain cave" with 20kms to go with her knees shot, Elyse Sene-Lefao relied on family and cultural strength to become the first Samoan woman to finish an Ultra-Trail run. We hear about her why, Pasifika body shapes stereotypes and how she had to convince her family it was a good idea. Joining Sam Wykes is Fiji's Indra Singh for his final episode as co-host and i-Kiribati Teitirake Kabau...

Faith Kasiray was the tallest of the girls at training and her brother made her try for goalkeeper, fast forward to now and Kasiray has represented Papua New Guinea at an international level. Patricia Keamo chats to Faith Kasiray about her accidental journey, a 'never stop learning' attitude and the new role fostering the goalies of the future. Also joining Sam Wykes is Melissa Fare who talks Vanu...

Flag football will be at the 2028 LA Olympics and Fetu Samoa representative Shontelle Stowers is giving it her all to make the Australian team. Stowers is loving learning a new sport and the next 18 months are crucial as Australia tries to qualify and she uses her experience and leadership to help guide the group which features a few other Pasifika women. Sam is also joined by Finau Vulivuli from...

Balancing study with playing netball for Fiji has its challenges but 19-year-old Nina Nakula wouldn't have it any other way. Ahead of the Youth Netball World Cup later this year, Nakula talks about the inspiration of her aunties, why she didn't take netball seriously for so long and how many times she's used the excuse of playing for Fiji to miss exams. Sam Wykes is also joined by Solomon Islands...

It's another jam packed sports wrap from across the Pacific including interviews with Fijiana rugby union player Asinate Serevi and PNG sprinter Emmanuel Anis. Lailanie Burnes and Jamie Haro join host Sam Wykes to chat through the big news in the worlds of tennis, football, athletics, rugby, cricket and preparations for the Palau Mini Games.

Grateful and joyful - those are the words Tongan teenage basketballer Taua Puloka used to describe playing for her culture at the Pacific Games in 2023. Puloka chats to Sam Wykes about growing up in America, keeping her Tongan culture strong a long way from the Islands, WNBA Polynesian inspirations and her basketball dreams. Sam is also joined by Indra Singh who has plenty of Fijian news including...

Pacific Islanders might be commonplace in Rugby Union and League but there's not many in the AFL and Josaia Delana is bucking the trend right now after being signed by the GWS Giants. Delana chats about his recent favourite visit back to Fiji to celebrate his 18th birthday, why Israel Folau inspired him to give the sport a crack and the emotion he and his family felt after being drafted. Sam Wykes...

Fidelis Laia is from Bougainville but has spent many years in Papua New Guinea and wants to move to the Philippines or Australia to take the next step in his boxing journey. Alice Peter from PNG chats to Laia about his most memorable fights so far, his advice for young boxers and how he got the nickname 'The Bomber'. Sam Wykes also welcomes Fijian Lailaine Burnes and Ni-Van Melissa Fare into the s...

Despite not having much success on the field in terms of results during the PacificAus Four Nations tournament, Claudia Votu knows that the real wins for the Solomon Islands are the lessons learned. Votu chats to Sam Wykes about the experience of playing against Australia, the need for investment in the next generation and why it means everything to represent her country. Indra Singh also has plen...

Linda Pulsan is a trailblazer for women in Papua New Guinea combining a powerlifting career well into her 50's with raising a family. Her son Ruben John has followed in his mother's footsteps and PNG journalist Rebecca Passingan talks to both about their amazing journey. Jamie Haro from PNG also joins Sam Wykes to discuss the legacy of Justin Olam, local cricket and more plus Cynthia Seda from the...

Switching sports isn't easy but for two Pasifika men, trying to make it in the NFL via a 10 week trial camp is a challenge and a chance worth taking. With backgrounds in rugby league and union, we chat to Samoan Laki Tasi and Fijian Jeneiro Wakeham who have given American Football a shot via the NFL International Player Pathway Program and will soon find out their fate. Priestley Habru gives us pl...

New Caledonian footballer Mickaël Partodikromo is lining up for some of the biggest matches in the Pacific nation's history this week in the World Cup qualifiers and chats to Sam Wykes about his journey from the islands to English football. We hear why his father wears Mickaël's jerseys to the shops, what it's like playing around the world and what food he misses from home. Fiji's Lailanie Burnes...

The Ikale Tahi had a disappointing campaign in 2024 on the field but with another year after the reset, TRU CEO Aisea Aholelei believes 2025 should see more positive results. Regular co-host Marian Kupu chats to Aholelei about coaching, player recruitment, home internationals and more. Melissa Fare chatted to Ni-Van beach volleyball legend Miller Pata plus Jamie Haro talks to Nicky van de Bos abou...

Without Pauline Dean, much of the football across the Pacific and in particular in the Cook Islands, wouldn't run as smoothly as it does. Dean recently helped host OFC fixtures in her homeland for the first time in nearly a decade, which saw Tupapa FC qualify for the Men's Champions League. We hear her story plus what it was like working at the Paris 2024 Olympics sharing her home with the world....

After their undefeated run and victory in the PacificAus netball series in Brisbane this week, Tifa Moana veteran Auteletoa Tanimo talks about the big dreams the Samoan team has for the future. We hear about their strength of connection, why head coach Natalie Mathews was so vital to their success and how great the crowd were. Sam is also joined by Patricia Keamo from PNG who chats to their Olympi...

As always 'Fresh Off The Field' is covering more sports than you've got aunties with some huge netball results, athletics firing up, tennis, football, rugby and more. Plus Cynthia Seda from the Solomon Islands brings in a chat about surfing programs in the Pacific and Finau Vulivuli speaks to a fellow Fijian giving vital Oceania representation in world basketball.

Natalie Mathews' ultimate dream is to coach the Tifa Moana netball team and at the PacificAus Netball Series in Brisbane she'll achieve that goal. Mathews knows Samoa have a challenge ahead of them but she's ready to help them rise up the rankings. Sam is also joined by PNG's Jamie Haro and Tonga's Kalo Manu-Moli to discuss sporting news from across the Pacific including football, rugby league, te...

It's jam packed today with Sam Wykes joined by Melissa Fare who chats to fellow Ni-Van cricketer Rachel Andrew, plus Lailanie Burnes speaks to the head coach and president of Fiji weightlifting.  There's also tennis in Samoa, new blood in the Fijian Pearls, football and the start of the Super Rugby Pacific competition just over a week away.

From representing Fiji as a 14-year-old to becoming a first-time mother at 19, Fijian basketballer Letava Kenny has made incredible sacrifices to pursue her dream. At 32, she secured her first professional contract - proving that determination knows no timeline. Priestley Habru and Patricia Keamo join Sam Wykes to touch on all things sports across the Pacific and, of course, come ready to tell som...

Papua New Guinea and Australian woman Zimmie Farquharson plays in the AFLW with the Western Bulldogs and is one of only a handful of Pacific Island women to have ever played in the competition. Her mother is from the Western Province in PNG and when Zimmie visited her village everything in life and footy was put in perspective. We hear about her success and struggles on the field and about her rol...

After a few weeks off, Fresh Off The Field returns for a new year bringing you the latest sporting action across the Pacific. Host Sam Wykes is joined by PNG sports editor Patricia Keamo and all round media star, Fiji's Lailanie Burnes to catch up on everything you may have missed over the last month. We'll hear from four time Ms Fiji bodybuilding champion Liz Maki, how and why Heraki Utd are domi...

Samoan Australian tennis player Destanee Aiava gets messages from Pacific Island parents thanking her for being a role model for their kids and it's these special encounters that add extra motivation. We hear about Aiava's connection to culture, the mental health battles she's faced and why marrying your tennis hitting partner and best friend takes patience. Cynthia Seda from the Solomons and Tong...