- Nic Naitanui
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Nic Naitanui Personal information Full name Nicholas Naitanui Nickname(s) Nic Nat,[1] The Flying Fijian[2] Date of birth 4 May 1990 Place of birth Sydney, Australia Original team Swan Districts (WAFL) Draft pick No. 2, 2008 National Draft,
West Coast EaglesHeight/Weight 201 cm / 101 kg[3] Position(s) Ruckman, ruck-rover Club information Current club West Coast Eagles Number 9 Playing career1 Years Club Games (Goals) 2009– West Coast Eagles 55 (30) 1 Playing statistics to end of PF 2011 season .Nicholas "Nic" Naitanui (born 4 May 1990 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian rules footballer, currently playing with the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Contents
Early life
Naitanui and his twin brother Mark were born in Sydney to Fijian parents (his mother, Ateca and father Bola, are from Suvavou, a small village near Suva), just two years after they first migrated to Australia.[4] As a one year old, Nic’s father died, contributing to Nic’s mother’s decision to move her family to Perth, Western Australia where her brother lived.[5]
Naitanui attended Governor Stirling Senior High School and played football there, as well as for his club, the Swan Districts Colts (underage) side in the West Australian Football League (WAFL). As a teenager he played football alongside Chris Yarran and Michael Walters, who both lived on the seemingly innocuous Bushby St in the suburb of Midvale and were later taken in the same AFL draft as Naitanui.[6] During his time in junior and colts football, Nic played predominantly in the ruck, however he also was used on the wing or at full-back.[7]
In the 2007 Under-18 AFL National Championships, Naitanui was dominant in the ruck for Western Australia, and was named Best On Ground in the final. Following his performance, he was hotly pursued by several AFL clubs. However, he was born just a few days too late to qualify for the 2007 AFL draft.[8] He was named in the Under-18 All-Australian Team in both 2007 and 2008, and was awarded a scholarship with the Australian Institute of Sport to become a member of the AIS/AFL Academy Squad.[9][10]
A much-hyped Naitanui was invited to the 2008 AFL Draft Camp and his results were impressive. He managed to equal the running vertical jump record previously set by Jared Brennan, but just fell short of Trent Croad's standing jump record. His sprint, agility and endurance tests were also impressive.
Many media commentators believed that Naitanui was in contention to be taken as the number 1 pick in the 2008 AFL Draft.[7] The Melbourne Football Club, who retained that pick, had looked at Naitanui, but raised concerns about his skill level, in particular his kicking, and instead selected Victorian Jack Watts.
AFL career
Naitanui was taken at pick No. 2 overall in the 2008 AFL Draft by the West Coast Eagles.
As a highly rated future player by John Worsfold, Naitanui was given the number 9 guernsey, becoming the first West Coast Eagles player to wear the number since Brownlow Medalist and former captain Ben Cousins left the club at the end of the 2007 season. His first game at the senior level was on 13 June 2009 when he was named to play against Richmond in game 12 of the 2009 season.
His career suffered a setback, however, during pre-season training when he experienced knee soreness and had precautionary surgery.[11]
Naitanui impressed enough in the WAFL in a game where he accumulated 15 possessions, 21 hit-outs, 4 goals and a spectacular mark, to earn his selection in the Round 12 against Richmond at Etihad Stadium.
His debut game impressed many, demonstrating his athletic ability with another spectacular mark as well as 3 kicks, 8 handballs, 3 marks and 7 hitouts.[12] In his second game against premiers Hawthorn at Subiaco, Naitanui was quiet for the first three quarters but dazzled in the fourth, kicking three goals and leading his team to a come-from-behind win.[13]
Natanui was honoured with a nomination for the NAB Rising Star in Round 4, 2010 in the West Coast Eagles win over the Essendon Bombers, a match where Natanui dominated with 13 disposals, 5 tackles and 17 hitouts. Naitanui took out the West Coast's Rookie of the Year Award for the 2010 Season and finished fifth in the 2010 Club Champion Award.
References
- ^ Cox eases pressure on Nic Nat – ABCNews. Published 24 May 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
- ^ Naitanui makes the leap of faith – Courier Mail. Written by Greg Davis. Published 17 December 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
- ^ Player Profile. WAFL. Retrieved on 3 March 2009.
- ^ Eagles pick up Naitanui Fiji Times Sunday, 30 November 2008
- ^ Why Nic Naitanui is so special
- ^ Quayle, Emma; A street named desire; 22 November 2008
- ^ a b The four tops; 1 October 2008
- ^ Timms, Daryl; No.1 draft choice Kreuzer picked in Nic of time; 26 November 2007
- ^ O’Donoghue, Craig; Tiger pair get AFL camp call; 28 August 2008
- ^ [1] AIS Athlete profile: Nicholas Naitanui
- ^ Edmund, Sam (25 April 2009). "Nick Naitanui to miss match". Herald Sun (Australia). http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25382310-19774,00.html. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
- ^ Naitanui debut lives up to the hype
- ^ Naitanui leads Eagles to win over Hawks
External links
West Coast Eagles – current squad 1 Brown · 2 LeCras · 3 Gaff · 4 Kerr · 6 Nicoski · 7 Masten · 8 Waters · 9 Naitanui · 10 S. Selwood · 11 Priddis · 12 Sheppard · 13 Shuey · 14 Stevens · 15 Swift · 16 Mackenzie · 17 Kennedy · 18 Dalziell · 20 Cox · 21 Lynch · 22 Neates · 23 Glass (c) · 24 Rosa · 25 Hurn · 26 Butler · 27 Darling · 28 Smith · 29 Lycett · 30 Wilson · 31 Schofield · 32 Embley · 34 Brennan · 35 McGinnity · 37 A. Selwood · 40 Hamp* · 41 Strijk · 42 McGovern* · 43 Hams · 44 Weedon · 47 Stevenson · tbd Hill
Coach: Worsfold
*rookie-listed player
2008 AFL Draft First round Jack Watts • Nic Naitanui • Stephen Hill • Hamish Hartlett • Michael Hurley • Chris Yarran • Daniel Rich • Tyrone Vickery • Jack Ziebell • Phil Davis • Steele Sidebottom • Lewis Johnston • Tom Lynch • Ayce Cordy (F/S) • Mitchell Brown • Ryan Schoenmakers • Sam Blease (Priority Pick) • Luke Shuey (Priority Pick)Second round James Strauss • Tom Swift • Hayden Ballantyne • Jackson Trengove • David Zaharakis • Nick Suban • Jack Redden • Jayden Post • Sam Wright • Shaun McKernan • Dayne Beams • Daniel Hannebery • Jordan Roughead • Liam Jones • Thomas Gillies • Liam Shiels •Third round Jamie Bennell • Ashley Smith • Zac Clarke • Matthew Broadbent • Steven Motlop • Mitch Robinson • Todd Banfield • Mitchell Banner • Liam Anthony • Rory Sloane • Jarrad Blight • Luke Rounds • Rhys Stanley • Nicholas Heyne • Taylor Hunt • Jordan LisleFourth round Neville Jetta • Jordan Jones • Michael Walters • Jarrad Reddan • Michael Still • Ben Bucovaz • Aaron Cornelius • Tom Hislop • Nathan O'Keefe • Tom Lee • Campbell Heath • Alistair Smith • Luke LowdenFifth round Rohan Bail • Rhys O'Keeffe • Glenn Dawson • Tyson Slattery • Tim Ruffles • Bart McCulloch • Warren Benjamin • Will Young • Leigh Brown • Paul Cahill • Shane SavageSixth round 2010 AFL Rising Star nominees Chris Yarran | Daniel Hannebery | Ryan Bastinac | Nic Naitanui | Jack Trengove | Todd Banfield | Tom Scully | Jake Melksham | Nathan Fyfe | Dustin Martin | Jordan Gysberts | Ben Reid | Tom Rockliff | Ben Stratton | Jack Redden | Phil Davis | Jarrad Grant | Michael Hurley | Jeff Garlett | Jackson Trengove | Sam Wright | Anthony Morabito |
Categories:- 1990 births
- Australian people of Fijian descent
- Australian rules footballers from Western Australia
- Living people
- People educated at Governor Stirling Senior High School
- People from Perth, Western Australia
- Swan Districts Football Club players
- Twin people from Australia
- West Coast Eagles players
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