How an in-season meeting could fuel Tonga's bid for World Cup glory

Tongan skipper Addin Fonua-Blake has declared his desire for the squad to link up during the NRL season as they formulate a plan for World Cup redemption later this year. 

The squad enters a pivotal 12 months on the back of a challenging Pacific Championships campaign in 2025, in which they lost to both Samoa and New Zealand. 

Fonua-Blake is desperate to change that at the World Cup, however the rugby league calendar makes it difficult to build combinations and connections.

Tongan coach Kristian Woolf regularly meets with players throughout the year but finding time to assemble a squad during the NRL season is a complicated task.

Under the current calendar, there are no standalone rep weekends. A number of Tongan stars also play State of Origin, making it difficult to get the whole squad together during that period.

Magic Round looms as the best opportunity to do so, with Woolf exploring ways to make it happen.

While acknowledging the challenges, Fonua-Blake said it would provide a major boost if the team could link up at some point before the World Cup begins. 

"That would be ideal," Fonua-Blake told NRL.com. "If we can't get together, we just have to deal with the cards we've been given. Every team is getting the same amount of prep, so we can't use it as an excuse.

"We missed a few core players last year so if we can get those guys back we're familiar with how each other plays and we'll get it done in the back end of the year."

Tonga's rise as a genuine World Cup contender began in 2017, when Jason Taumololo and Andrew Fifita led the side to their maiden semi-final.

A historic win over Australia followed in 2019 before falling to fierce rivals Samoa in the quarter-final at the 2022 World Cup. 

Tonga defeated New Zealand and came agonisingly close to upsetting the Kangaroos during the 2024 Pacific Championships final before last year's disappointment.

Fonua-Blake concedes his side took a step backwards but remains confident they can topple the tournament favourites later this season. 

"It's always a good experience putting on the jersey but it wasn't a pass mark for us," he said. "We took a few steps back with some of our performances but we had a young squad. 

"We debuted six players and we can't do anything to change it now. It's about what we do next. If need to build off what we did last year. We've got a lot more experience in the team now and we'll get it done in the World Cup."

Tonga will open their World Cup against England in Perth on October 17 before playing Lebanon in Sydney.

A showdown with fierce rivals Samoa at CommBank Stadium will close out the group stages. The match will likely determine which side will progress to the semi-finals.

More than 44,000 people crammed into Suncorp Stadium to watch the Pacific Island nations face off last year and a full house is expected in Parramatta on November 1. 

Woolf has been in charge since the 2017 charge to the semi-final and said the energy and intensity of a World Cup provides a unique challenge for players to navigate throughout the tournament. 

"We make adjustments at look at how we can improve every year," Woolf said. "We've got a few things from last year we can definitely improve on. 

"World Cups are a different beast. It's a competition that's different from any other, it needs a different level of planning and there will be some changes made for the tournament. 

"We're planning for the World Cup as best we see fit and making sure we get all our preparations right for that."