West Coast Eagles star Nic Naitanui says he is immensely grateful for the gifts and opportunities God has given him to become one of the AFL’s most exciting players.
Speaking at the ‘Celebrating God’s Gift of Sport’ event at St George’s Anglican Cathedral in Perth on April 6, Naitanui revealed the important role his faith in God has had in his life.
The Eagles’ ruckman often uses Twitter to share Bible verses, but he has never spoken publicly about his faith until now.
“The gifts that God has given to me is something I’ve always cherished,” he told a crowd of about 400.
“For a lot of guys out there playing footy, you get the gift of a talent – for myself it’s that I can jump, I’m pretty agile for a tall guy – but just the opportunity was probably the biggest gift I was given.
“I’ll always think I’ve been given this gift from God and it’s something… I’m very proud of and I’m thankful for every day.”
Naitanui explained how going to church has always been a part of his life, with fellow Christians still gathering at the family home regularly.
“Every Wednesday and Friday at my house has always been prayer group,” he said.
“For a Saturday game it’s not the best thing because a Friday night with a room full of Fijians singing hymns in your lounge room is normally not the best when you’re trying to sleep.
“But I’ve got the gift of dreadlocks, so I can always just cover up my ears with that,” he joked.
Naitanui also shared with those present his desire to assist his family financially through playing AFL.
“For me, my drive was to help my family out,” he said. “For a single mum with two twin boys, it was tough moving to Perth, and my main goal was to get her a house to live in, just to start with, because we always moved from place to place.”
The 23-year-old said he prays every night before going to sleep, as well as resorting to prayer as a part of his pre-game routine.
“You see a lot of footballers before a game with the big, massive headphones on listening to music and getting pumped up for a game,” Naitanui said.
“For me, it’s sitting down with Morro (club chaplain Paul Morrison). We sit down before every game and we’ll just read a verse and then we’ll go out and play. I’ll go and pray before I take that first centre bounce.”
Faith has always been a part of Naitanui’s sporting endeavours, but he admits there were challenges at the beginning of his AFL career.
“Initially it was tough, when you’re coming up against a big, tall ruckman like Aaron Sandilands, who’s a lot bigger, a lot stronger, and as a 17-year-old when you’re really skinny you feel fear,” he explained.
But Naitanui credits a Bible verse that he has tattooed on his back and his arm for providing him with the inspiration to meet such a challenge.
“It’s Romans 8:31, and it says if God is for us who can be against us, and I live by that every day,” he said.
“People think it’s me versus my opponent but I’ve got [God] on my side as well, so that fear is gone, it’s not there when I’m playing.”
In 2012 the AFL announced that prayer rooms for all denominations must be provided at all venues around the country, and the Eagles have followed suit by placing a stronger emphasis on its chaplaincy services.
“We have a pretty understanding club, so we have our schedule before each game, you have taping at a certain time, massage at a certain time, and we sat down with Morro and our new coach and a few people upstairs, and now we’ve got a chaplain service before the game as well,” Naitanui said.
“So what used to be hidden away in a little corner with Morro and myself before every game is now five or six players who will sit down before we go out to play and go over a Scripture and then say a little prayer before we go out.”
Speaking to The Record last year, Morrison praised Naitanui’s deep faith in God.
“He’s got a really genuine faith,” he said. “I pray God raises his profile even more because he’s a great guy.”
While Christianity and the AFL have not always been the closest of allies, Naitanui said he’s been encouraged by the way some of the league’s stars, such as Gary Ablett Jnr, have proudly proclaimed their faith in God.
Last year Ablett spoke openly about his faith on The Footy Show, and thanked God during his acceptance speech after winner the prestigious Brownlow Medal.
“For me that was big, because not many guys in that forum would thank God,” Naitanui said.
“I don’t know whether they’re ashamed or they’re scared or they just don’t feel it’s the right place and time, but for someone of his calibre to go out there and thank God on such a big stage is a wonderful thing.”
When asked what his advice would be to kids who love sport and love God, Naitanui said they should “make the most of the gifts you’ve been given”.
“I don’t recommend you go out and get a tattoo like I did, just know it in the back of your head that not to have that fear and to have that strength because God does work wonders, and is a miracle-working God, and it’s something that I think has got me to where I am today,” he said.