The Newcastle Knights could play a pre-season fixture in Fiji against Melbourne Storm as early as next year.
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The Knights have been approached to be the Storm's opponent for a trial game, which comes after the Victorian club inked a new three-year sponsorship deal with Fiji Airways.
The Storm are working through the logistics of hosting the match in the South Pacific country in February, but with the NRL looking to increase its footprint in the region it likely be welcomed by the governing body.
It would be the first NRL trial ever held in Fiji.
"Frank Ponissi rang me to say they were potentially getting a deal with Fiji Airways, and part of that was potentially playing a pre-season game in Fiji and will you be interested," Knights football director Peter Parr told the Newcastle Herald of the Storm general manager's approach.
"I've told Frank that 'Yeah, we would be interested'.
"But that's about as far as it has got.
"My understanding is that it would form part of the Pre-Season Challenge, so it would have to get the NRL and broadcasters to agree.
"But if all the stars align, I'd suggest there's a good chance we'd be playing our second pre-season game in Fiji."
![Churchill Park in Lautoka, Fiji. Churchill Park in Lautoka, Fiji.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/0bda5c76-deca-45c1-ada6-9e2068685140.jpg/r0_0_1200_675_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The NRL made trial games part of a mini pre-season tournament last year and is expected to continue with that format in 2024.
Next year's draw is due to be released in coming weeks.
The Knights played two pre-season fixtures this year on the Central Coast, against the Eels and Sharks.
Ahead of the 2021 season, the Knights had an agreement in place to play the Storm in Victoria, and the Storm were due to travel to the Hunter the following year, but the 2021 match was scrapped due to concerns about COVID.
Ahead of the 2022 season, the two clubs played a trial in Ballarat. But the introduction of the Pre-Season Challenge this year is understood to have prevented the Storm reciprocating.
Parr, who in the early years of his career worked at Perth's Western Reds and the Adelaide Rams, believes there would be a range of benefits from playing in Fiji.
"Everybody wants to be part of growing the game, and I would have thought taking a game to Fiji where you can create some interest around the NRL would be beneficial," he said.
"The Saifiti brothers have represented Fiji and taking them back there would be something that the locals would enjoy.
![Daniel and Jacob Saifiti. Picture by Simone De Peak Daniel and Jacob Saifiti. Picture by Simone De Peak](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/02c9ab48-2f0a-416d-9130-0a6c0e0d7f36.jpg/r0_0_3526_2280_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We still want to make sure we've got a local presence here and play here as much as we can, but I think going to another location and helping the Storm and NRL grow the game is important.
"You'd go away for a few days, and anytime in the pre-season when you get your team together for a few days and spend time together, and work on what's important to you from a football and values-point of view, is beneficial as well."
Churchill Park in Lautoka, which has hosted Super Rugby games in recent years, shapes as a likely host venue in Fiji.
The Knights have only ever played one game, pre-season or otherwise, in a country outside the NRL's existing competition footprint of Australia and New Zealand, the 2002 World Club Challenge in Huddersfield, England.
The NRL is taking a double-header to Las Vegas annually for the next five years. Each club is expected to have the opportunity to take part in the American venture.
Knights chief executive Philip Gardner has said the club hopes to be involved in the 2025 fixtures.
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