Jaqua Pori-Makea-Simpson

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125 appearances 1 recordings 1 series first heard Jul 2026 last heard 23 Jul

Jaqua Pori-Makea-Simpson’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.

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Recordings per month over the last 12 months — 1 in all, peaking in Jul 2026 with 1.

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The Documentary Podcast · The spirit of Tala: The rapid rise of Tonga's netball team · 23 Jul 2026 podcast

There is no other way to explain it because when you watch them play in the early days, even now, there's a magic that happens with them and that can never be taught.

My name is Jaqua Puri Makia Simpson, and I'm the head coach of Tonga Tala.

So I was born and raised in New Zealand, but lived in Australia for 30 years.

And when I relocated back to New Zealand eight years ago, I contacted Netball New Zealand to transfer my Netball Australia coaching qualifications into the New Zealand system.

I think what that did inadvertently was kind of put me in somebody's in-tray

And Tonga contacted them about needing a head coach.

So it was a bit of fate, really, because I think I was at the forefront of being a potential option.

I'm a Pacific Island Tahitian Maori, so I have a Pacific Island background.

And that was probably the first thing that made me go, yeah, you know what, I think there might be something in this.

I'm really curious to find out more.

So it was actually them being a Pacific nation was the first thing.

and that they were bold enough to reach out to somebody they didn't know.

I actually went, okay, you're mad.

Like, that is obscene, and I'm not sure you understand what the netball world looks like.

But I thought it was brave.

I definitely thought it was a bit nuts.

So she was brave.

I'll give her that much.

I was definitely concerned and thought, yeah, no, I think you're reaching for the stars here.

Like, that's a lot to ask.

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