NEWCOMERS Nausori is expected to be a threat at this weekend's FBC Suva Volleyball Inter-district tournament in Suva.
Suva president Viliame Katia said Nausori, which was one of the last teams to confirm participation, would be coming with a very strong team.
Katia said while the delta side could be classified as a new team in the local volleyball fraternity, they would be coming with a very experienced team.
"Most players who are expected to be in the Nausori side are those that use to play for the Drekewaila club and also in the Veiyasana team," Katia said.
"So we expect them to be one of the top teams in the two-day tournament which starts on Friday."
Katia said they had also increased the number of teams that would be playing in the men's premier and the women's competition.
"In the men's premier competition we have increased the number of teams from 10 to 16 while in the women's category we have increased the number of teams from five to 10." Competition will also be played in the super premier category where 10 teams including Nausori will battle for the $1000 at stake. Katia said he believed competition for the top prizemoney in the three categories would make the inaugural tournament more competitive.
"We also have $1000 for the women's competition while $500 would be up for grabs in the men's premier competition."
Katia said all teams in the tournament would include some Suva district players and this would give all teams an equal opportunity to win the top prizemoney.
"It's not only the winners in the three categories that will walk away with cash prizes but we will start awarding prizes for teams that make it to the quarter-finals," Katia said.
"So for all teams in the two-day tournament, they can be rest assured that they can return home with something at the end of the day." The FBC Suva inter-district tournament will be held at the national gym in Laucala.