Fresh Off The Field

Bobby Macumber is away on assignment so this week we re-visit some of the best sporting chats we've heard this year on Fresh Off The Field. You'll learn about Olympic hopefuls, new coaches, cricket pioneers and AFL stars.

Lenora Misa is as resilient as she is proud and the netballer lines up in the Pacific Netball Series in June to try end Tonga Tala's grip on the tournament. Bobby chats to Misa about her Samoan culture, how she juggles Netball and full time work and why her 3rd ACL injury nearly broke her. Tiana Severino-Fidow fills in for Bobby and alongside Patricia Keamo and Priestley Habru, look over all the b...

The Samoan women's rugby union team are playing for a spot in the 2025 Rugby World Cup and Bobby chats to Isadora Laupola & Denise Aiolupotea about the Championships in Brisbane. They discuss dropping everything and playing for their country, their pride and nerves in representing their parents and grandparents and what it would be like to go to a World Cup. As well, Priestley Habru and Talei...

Leaving her family and friends behind at age 15 and travelling from Fiji to New Zealand was a scary start to Lili Tokaduadua's netball journey. It's paid off though with the young Fijian securing a contract with the Northern Stars in the top NZ netball league in her first year out of school, so we here her story and how she stays connected to her Fijian culture and family. Kalo Manu-Moli from Tong...

Just when Wesley Tikiariki Roberts was close to ending his swimming career, a trip back home to the Cook Islands for a break gave him renewed love for the sport. Hoping to make his third Olympics in a row, we talk to Roberts about the power of home, what it's like to carry the flag for your country and the story of his nickname - The Enuamanu Princess. Bobby is also joined by Patricia Keamo to tal...

Gibson Mara took up taekwondo for self-defence reasons but within two years he's off to try win Papua New Guinea's first Olympic medal. We talk about the pressures of competition, his Pacific Games experience and why Mara will head to Adelaide to train before the Olympics. Also, Marian Kupu and Talei Matairakula join Bobby Macumber to chat sport around the Pacific including U-15 OFC women's soccer...

After making the switch from New Zealand to Samoa, Samalulu Clifton can't wait to represent her mother's side at the Paris Olympics with her brother. Growing up with her late grandmother in the house taught her lots about Samoan culture and Clifton knows she'd be super proud and screaming the loudest if she was still here. Patricia Keamo and Lulu Laris also join Bobby to discuss sport across the P...

Esava Ratugolea wanted to become an NRL star but after moving to country Victoria, AFL was the only option for the Fijian. Ratugolea has since moved from Geelong to Port Adelaide and we hear about his favourite Fijian food, wanting to have a kava sesh with his Port teammates and why more Fijians would light up the AFL if the pathway was there. Co-hosts Finau Vulivuli and Priestley Habru also fill...

This week on Fresh Off The Field we re-live some of the best chats we've had on the show so far. You'll hear from Pacific Games gold medallists like Solomon Islands legend Jenly Wini and Tonga Tala Netball captain Hulita Veve as well as trailblazers like football referee Shama Maemae and the first Samoan AFLW player Vaomua Laloifi.

Moana Pasifika coach, Manu Samoa assistant coach and All Black legend Tana Umaga chats about his immense pride in connecting deeply to his Samoan heritage through coaching, after turning down the opportunity to play for Manu Samoa when he was younger. We also hear about the way Moana celebrate and integrate culture into their high performance program that the Super Rugby demands. Patricia Keamo an...

Della Audama was one of the first ever PNG Orchids when they formed a national team for the women in 2017. She's now a coach with the team and sees first hand the way the sport can provide hope and a pathway for young girls across Papua New Guinea. Bobby chats to Audama off the back of their first entry into the Women's National Championships in Australia last weekend. Indra Singh and Lisa Osifelo...

Raema von Reiche and the Samoa Sailing Association had an idea in 2019 to help make sailing more accessible and so the idea of Samoan Sailability Program was born. Bobby chatted to Raema about the development of the program, the recent donation of 10 Hansa boats and how far they still need to go.

The Olympics are coming up quickly and one person hoping to add it to her calendar this year is Majabelle Lawac, one of Vanuatu’s newest beach volleyball sensations. Majabelle spoke to Bobby about her preparations and what it means to represent her nation on the international stage.

The AFL have launched their inaugural Pasifika Community Event that will see 30 young girls from across the Pacific land in QLD to participate. Bobby talks to Ben Drew, the International Development Manager at the AFL about the event.

The new father wants to do his daughter proud at the Paris Olympics.

As the Football Federation Samoa focus on grass roots programs to increase participation, they say that children can play multiple sports at a young age.

The Māori All Stars will be looking for revenge when they take on the Indigenous All Stars tomorrow night in Townsville and Maori lock Jazz Tevaga is confident they will get the win.

The Fijian Drua women’s team have a new head coach, with the recent appointment of former Flying Fijian captain Moses Rauluni. The team are eyeing off a threepeat in this year’s Super W competition and Rauluni is looking forward to the challenge.

The Paris Olympics are coming up fast and sailor Vai Ripley is hoping to be the first female to represent Samoa at the international event. Ripley speaks to Bobby about how the preparations are going and reflects on her role as the first Samoan woman on the Olympic pathway for Samoa and her aim to create a road map for those that follow in her footsteps.

Moana Pasifika had a difficult season in 2023, but Motuga is optimistic going into the 2024 Super Rugby season with a new coach who is “unapologetically Pasifika”, a good mix in the playing group and their eyes set firmly on a top 8 spot.

The Highlanders ‘Rookie of the Year’ is described by his teammates as a hard-working gentle giant, and Saula Ma’u explains how his family back home in Tonga motivates him to keep persevering. 

He started out throwing thongs and empty bottles in Tonga, using whatever was available to substitute a rugby ball.

Find out why these Nauruan’s are some of the toughest footy players going around.

Fresh Off the Field brings you Pacific-focused content from in country professionals.

Fresh Off the Field is live from Honiara bringing you all the action and plenty of athletes from the Pacific Games. Joining Bobby Macumber today is Niue's first medallist in the games Samuel Singh, gold medallists for Samoa and Fiji in the field events Nu’u’ausala Tuilefano and Deborah Bulai, Tahiti's gold medal triathlete Salome de Barthez, Norfolk Islands only medallist Ada Nebauer and radio com...