Newly re-appointed Vodafone Fiji Bati Head Coach Mick Potter has set his sights on guiding Fiji into rugby league’s top tier, targeting a top-four finish at this year’s Rugby League World Cup.

Speaking at his first media appearance after his reappointment, Potter also revealed plans to visit community rugby league clubs across the country to strengthen the game at the grassroots level.

After guiding the Fiji Bati to the semi-finals of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup and helping put Fiji firmly on the international rugby league map, Potter says his goal is to take the team a step further and establish them among the sport’s top-tier nations.

“I think we can do it. It’s going to take time and with the right people around me, I think we can progress very well. I’m so looking forward to some people I’ve already met and some people that I already know in Fiji to progress Rugby League and take it forward and make it so the Fiji Bati are one of the top nations.”

Potter acknowledges that rugby league in Fiji has grown significantly over the years, and says he is committed to building on that progress by strengthening pathways, connecting with local communities, and developing a competitive squad capable of challenging the world’s best.

“I’m honored to be in this position. I’m grateful for the board of the Fiji NRL to appoint me. It’s a thing that I’m pretty passionate about and I’m emotional about, and I feel that Fiji in the last 10 years, Fiji Rugby League, we need to move forward.

I think we’ve just stayed flat and I really want to make a statement that I’m going to get out into the fields, get out into the community, into the schools, into the clubs and really push Rugby League so we become a force within for the Fiji Bati. I think we want to be a tier one nation in Rugby League. We want to be one of the top four nations.”

Chairman Rajesh Singh says the board carefully considered its options before reappointing Potter, expressing confidence that his experience and leadership will help elevate rugby league in Fiji and continue the sport’s upward trajectory.

“As you know, FNRL went through some turmoil and also our coach’s contract, the past coach’s contract was expired. So we did advertise the post and we had some good candidates that applied.

And as you know, when the panel finished, they did submit Mr. Potter’s name and then it was approved by the board. And now as we see Mick is in Fiji, Mick Potter, and then we’ll take it on from here. And as you know, if you don’t recall in 2017, Mick Porter was the coach when Fiji beat the Kiwis.

And we hope and pray that he can repeat that magic with the players that we’ll have from NRL and also most probably he’s the coach who’ll decide and if there’s any local talent that prove themselves. And we hope and pray that Fiji does well in the World Cup.”

With 77 days left for the Rugby League World Cup’s kick-off, the Vodafone Fiji Bati is banking on Mick Potter’s experience and vision to build on past success as the team targets another deep run on the world stage.