MARIKA Koroibete is surprised National Rugby League (NRL) club scouts are yet to fully exploit the talents offered by young Fijian players at the National Secondary Schools Rugby League competition.
The Eastern zone of the annual competition known as the Vodafone Trophy started yesterday at the Veiuto grounds and will run until the end of the school term in April.
NRL rising star Koroibete said Fiji had an abundance of talent and competitions such as the Vodafone Trophy brought the best out of players.
"The secondary school meet in Fiji is one of the highly competitive events. There are so many talented players playing in this competition," Koroibete, who played for Nasinu Panthers in the Vodafone Trophy, said.
"It's a surprise to me that the NRL has not really scouted these talented players to develop them further into rugby league stars."
Koroibete, who plays for Wests Tigers, said the secondary schools competition helped him a lot in securing his dream contract with the NRL club.
He played for Nasinu Secondary School in 2009 and 2010 in the under-17, 18 and 19 grades.
Koroibete said it gave him an opportunity to show his talent and improve on his skills and ultimately walk his way into the NRL competition.
"This secondary schools competition is very important for the upcoming young players who want to make a name for them in rugby league," the 20-year-old Namosi lad said.
"Commitment is really important and it would help them reap rewards in the future."
Koroibete wished his Nasinu Panthers side the very best.