For national netball coach Natalie Mathews, it was a dream start to her career with the Tifa Moana as they started the PacAus Netball Series with a 54-45 win over the much-fancied Fiji Pearls on Monday evening.

"Stepping out as the coach of Tifa Moana was a surreal experience, anywhere in the world that I am court side feels like home. I was incredibly proud of the standard of play we put out on the court with a new group of players and a new coach, after only three days together," she said.

Their main focus with their match against Fiji was staying connected and enjoying their experience, Mathews believed that they had achieved it.

"It was about focusing on our strengths, building the connection we have established and bringing some of that Pacific flair that is in our blood," she said.

"The enormity of the occasion isn't lost on us but we're ready. We hope to have our nation behind us online and in person at Nissan Arena as we go into battle on the court."

The PacAus Netball Series is taking place in Brisbane, Australia and features Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Australian First Nations Black Swans, Scotland, and Samoa. To date, Samoa is tied on points with Tonga and Australian First Nations with one win.