Nic Naitanui - Early Life

Early Life

Along with his twin brother, Mark, Naitanui was born to Bola and Atetha Naitanui on 4 May 1990 in Penrith, New South Wales, New South Wales. His parents, originally from Suvavou, a small village near Suva, had emigrated to Australia from Fiji the previous year, with his two elder siblings, Georgie and Laisani, remaining in Fiji. His father died from cancer the year after Naitanui and his brother were born. After his father's death, his mother moved the family to Perth, Western Australia, where her brother lived. His mother began working at Homeswest, a public housing authority, and also volunteered at a homeless shelter. Naitanui grew up in Midvale, near Midland, and attended Midvale Primary School. He took up playing football at the age of nine, when he began playing for the Midvale Junior Football Club. As a child, he lived on Bushby Street in Midvale, along with Michael Walters and Chris Yarran, who would both go on to play AFL football, for Fremantle and Carlton, respectively. Two further future AFL players, David Ellard and Jeff Garlett (both Carlton), also played with Naitanui, Walters and Yarran at the Midvale Junior Football Club.

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). During his time in junior and colts football, he played predominantly in the ruck, however he also was used on the wing or at full-back. Naitanui also excelled at basketball and track and field events, particularly high jump, and was asked by recruiters to trial with American universities, but declined to do so.

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. 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.

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. 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.