Pacific Championships Ultimate Guide: Mal Meninga eyeing off revenge after torturous 12-month wait
Mal Meninga has admitted it took a while to 'get all the crap out of his system' after the Kangaroos suffered a devastating loss against New Zealand last year.
The rugby league Immortal was at the helm when Australia were belted 30-0 in the Pacific Championships final and this time around, the coach has shaken things up.
James Tedesco and Daly Cherry-Evans have been axed from the lineup, with six debutants including a fresh halves pairing have been selected in the green and gold.
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In an interview with Sky Sports Radio's The Big Sports Breakfast prior to the tournament opener against Tonga, Meninga opened up on the past 12 months of soul-searching and revealed the new-look Kangaroos have focused on "resetting" in camp.
Mal Meninga is laser-focused during Kangaroos camp. Getty
"The problem with being a coach in the international space, you can't get back on the bike the next week … I had to wait 12 months," he said.
"I haven't vented, but I have got all that crap out of my system now and I'm happy again.
"I've got a great group of men here now who are really keen to put the jersey on and I think we'll have a great squad leading up to the World Cup in 2026. This is the best team we've got and I'm looking forward to them running out.
"We have done a whole lot of work on resetting our values and resetting what we want, what's our purpose for the team. The players have really worked hard in connecting and getting that collective purpose of why they want to put that green and gold jersey on.
"That is really important off the back of what happened at the end of last year."
Here's everything you need to know for the 2024 Pacific Championships.
Watch the 2024 Pacific Championships on Nine and 9Now.
When and where are the 2024 Pacific Championships?
This year's Pacific Championships will begin on Friday, October 18 and the finals will be held on Sunday, November 3 at CommBank Stadium.
Games for the tournament will be spread across Brisbane, Suva, Port Moresby, Christchurch, Auckland and Sydney.
Lachlan Lam will feature for Papua New Guinea. Getty Images for RLWC
Which teams are playing in the Pacific Championships?
There will be six teams competing in the men's draw this year - Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Cook Islands.
On the women's side of the draw, the only difference will see Samoa also included.
What is the Pacific Championships format?
As it was last year, the men's draw will be split up into two separate competitions - the Pacific Cup (Kangaroos, Kiwis, Tonga) and the Pacific Bowl (Fiji, PNG, Cook Islands).
Each team plays each other once in the group stage before the top-two teams from each competition will meet in the final.
New Zealand celebrate their 2023 victory over the Kangaroos. Getty
The women's draw is different, with Australia, New Zealand and PNG in the Pacific Cup, while the remaining four teams make up the Pacific Bowl.
The third-placed Pacific Cup team will face the first-ranked Pacific Bowl team, with the winner staying in the top competition and the loser relegated for next year.
Where can I watch the Pacific Championships?
Every game of the Pacific Championships be broadcast live on Nine and 9Now.
Pacific Championships 2024 draw and fixtures
Men's draw
Friday October 18: Australia vs Tonga, Suncorp Stadium (8.10pm)
Saturday October 19: Fiji vs Papua New Guinea, HFC Bank Stadium (7.10pm)
Saturday October 26: Fiji vs Cook Islands, HFC Bank Stadium (7.10pm)
Sunday October 27: New Zealand vs Australia, Apollo Projects Stadium (4.05pm)
Saturday November 2: New Zealand vs Tonga, Go Media Stadium (6.05pm)
Sunday November 3: Papua New Guinea vs Cook Islands, Santos Stadium (4pm)
Sunday November 10: Pacific Cup Final, CommBank Stadium (4.05pm)
Sunday November 10: Pacific Bowl Final, CommBank Stadium (6.15pm)
Women's draw
Isabelle Kelly will feature for the Jillaroos. Getty
Friday October 18: Australia vs Papua New Guinea, Suncorp Stadium (6.05pm)
Saturday October 19: Tonga vs Samoa, HFC Bank Stadium (5pm)
Saturday October 26: Fiji vs Cook Islands, HFC Bank Stadium (5pm)
Sunday October 27: New Zealand vs Australia, Apollo Projects Stadium (1.35pm)
Saturday November 2: TBC vs TBC, Go Media Stadium (3.35pm)
Sunday November 3: Papua New Guinea vs New Zealand, Santos Stadium (1.55pm)
Sunday November 10: Women's 3rd vs 4th, CommBank Stadium (11.35am)
Sunday November 10: Women's Final, CommBank Stadium (1.50pm)
Who won the 2023 Pacific Championships?
New Zealand won last year's Pacific Cup, while Papua New Guinea won the Pacific Bowl in the men's tournament.
