Whangārei's newest football team Central Brown Pacifika enters local football competition

Central Brown Pacifika is the newest team registered to play in the Northern Regional Football third division competition. Photo / Imran Ali

After playing in different football sides over the years, a group of players in Whangārei have come together and formed their own team to compete in the Northland Football Federation's 3rd Division.

Central Brown Pacifika registered about two months ago and are playing warm-up games during the weekends ahead of the competition proper that starts at the end of this month.

The bulk of the team's players were born and bred in Fiji while the rest consists of Kiwis.

They have a warm-up match against Refining NZ at the Central Brown ground in Otaika on Sunday, with a small number of family and friends cheering them on.

Central Brown Pacifika manager Mahesh Prasad said his players were eager to try new combinations and to tidy up a few areas in order to be competitive when the season got underway.

"The idea behind forming a new club came about during discussions. Some of the boys thought that rather than playing for different sides, why didn't they start a team and compete from a lower competition and make their way up?"

The oldest player is 51.

"Everyone is eager to play, which is a great way for us to be part of the community. It's a start of sorts and hopefully we build on it from here and get more players on board," Prasad said.

He said the plan was to one day play in the top flight but a few things needed to happen
first.

"We'll have to work on the fitness as well as change the style of football the boys are used to playing. It's got to be more aligned to the type of football played here, a more structured pattern," he said.

Six players were part of the FC Pacifika side that played in the local league more than a decade ago. They beat Central Brown in a shield challenge.

Last year's Northern Region Football competition finished last week with Onerahi defeating Kerikeri 3-2 in the Stafford Choat men's cup final that was cancelled in October due to Covid.

The new season for division 1 kicks off on May 7.