QTRLs 2025 Season
QTRL REGIONS TĀ LAHI
This year, we introduced a new role for cultural coordinators within our subcommittee to enhance our cultural representation across all regions, rather than just at the QTRL representative level. This initiative proved to be a great success during our Fiefia Night in 2024.
Our regions united this year by learning the same Mako and Tauolunga, which they performed together at our inaugural Ta lahi event, Sika Manu Cup and again at QPICC. This gathering celebrated Tongan song and dance, allowing our children to fully embrace their culture. We are excited to announce that this will become an annual event for QTRL
SIKA MANU CUP 2025
This year's annual Sika Manu Cup was a tremendous success! Hosted in North Brisbane, the hometown of Sika Manu himself, the event began with each region showcasing the cultural dances they had been practicing. This vibrant display set a wonderful tone for the entire tournament.
Looking ahead, next year we will be bringing Sika Manu to the Gold Coast.
QUEENSLAND PACIFIC ISLAND CULTURAL CARNIVAL
This year marked our inaugural participation in QPICC, proudly representing our beautiful island of Tonga. We entered the competition with nine teams, ranging from under-13 to open categories, competing against six other Pacific nations, including the Maoris, Samoa, Niue, and the Cook Islands.
We concluded our experience at QPICC with three age group championships: under-13 boys, under-15 boys, and open women's teams. Our under-17 boys and under-19 boys reached the grand finals but fell short. Looking ahead to next year, we are confident we will achieve similar success.
TRXII
We were fortunate to be given the opportunity to host our national teams fan day in Brisbane at Logan Brothers Rugby League club. This was an amazing opportunity for our team as well as our players to watch our national team train and then meet them after.
We were also given the opportunity for some of our junior players in our regions to participate in a game against QLD
Samoa before the womens Samoa vs PNG game at Suncorp stadium.
QTRL VS QLD SAMOA
We received an invitation to compete against QLD Samoa in what has now become an annual event between our neighboring islands. The day was not only filled with competition but also celebrated unity and culture. It served as a great lead-up to our national teams' matches, making the occasion even more meaningful. Next year, QTRL will take on the hosting duties, and this event is poised to grow and further unite our two island nations for years to come.
TALANOA SESSION
This year, one of our primary objectives was to enhance discussions about mental health. Given the alarming rate at which many of our youth are taking their own lives and recognising the challenges Pacific Island families face in expressing their feelings, we felt it essential to start incorporating events like Talanoa into our schedule.
We were privileged to have Havea676 and former Toa Samoa player Sam Tagataese join our panel this year, where they shared their journeys to success, along with the obstacles they encountered along the way. This created a valuable opportunity for both our youth and parents to ask questions and discover how and where they can seek support.
We plan to make this an annual event and aim to integrate it into our regional season moving forward.
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