Around two metres tall, dark skinned, dreadlocks bouncing off his shoulders and a footballer of rare athletic qualities Nic Naitanui has never been able to fly under the radar.

But you get the sense he would have it no other way.

As futile as it would be to blend in with surroundings  – the proverbial elephant in a strawberry patch – Naitanui has used who and what he is to make a difference. To inspire a generation of people and to give others who look just like him a sense of belonging.

From humble beginnings he was born in Sydney to Fijian parents, but the family moved to Perth after his father passed away when he was just 12 months old.

He grew up in Midvale, went to Governor Stirling Senior High School and his best mates were Chris Yarran and Michael Walters, both of whom were drafted in the same year as their towering neighbour.

Football provided an avenue to ‘fit in.’ Although he did stand out for other obvious reasons.

I’d heard a bit about this gifted youngster of Fijian extraction when he was in the State development program. There was a game at Subiaco Oval in 2007 when WA played Vic Metro in the curtain raiser to an Eagles match.

I strolled up the race to have a look at the action but was particularly curious to watch the young West Aussie ruckman. It wasn’t long before I understood the hype.

Naitanui was bottom aged and ineligible for the draft that year. His direct opponent was Matthew Kreuzer, who would be taken with Carlton’s No.1 selection at the draft. Nic and Kreuzer engaged in a little argy-bargy. Moments later there was a ball-up in the WA forward pocket.

The big Fijian was fired up and did something that was mind blowing. From a standing start he leapt like a panther onto the shoulders of Kreuzer and directed the ball unerringly with his trademark deft touch to a WA teammate who did not need to break stride.

Wow!     

One could only dream that the outrageously gifted athlete would find his way to our club. Twelve months later he did.

Melbourne had the first selection in 2008 and opted to take Vic Metro forward Jack Watts, a highly talented youngster. Perhaps the Demons were spooked by the fear factor of having Naitanui opt to return to WA if they took a punt on him.

Regardless, fate had played its part and Naitanui was an Eagle.

Draft day at Etihad Stadium (Marvel as it is now) is a day I’ll never forget. My smile was probably as broad as that of Nic and his family. It was hard to fathom that a player of his qualities had landed in our lap.

As we completed the plethora of media commitments my first insights into the person, rather than the player, were provided. He was just as impressive off the field.

As he embarked on his career at West Coast over 15 years he would prove a wonderful ambassador for the football club, the game and more broadly multi-culturalism in our community. It was poignant that big Geelong utility player Esava Ratugolea and Port Adelaide’s Aliir Aliir recognised Naitanui’s influence when he announced his retirement.

So genuine, so thoughtful, so caring. Nothing was too much trouble.

It never has been, even though there would be times when he felt like slinking away from those chasing a selfie or an autograph.

A few years after being drafted Nic was installed as an AFL Multi-Cultural Ambassador with a number of other players. There was a launch in the Media Centre at Docklands Stadium and he was in high demand.

He did one-on-one interviews with anyone who wanted it, from the broadcast partners to obscure regional radio stations and even one European organisation. He must have done a dozen of them before heading to airport.

As we made our way from the lounge to the gate a group of four or five young blokes in their early 20s, who might have taken a couple of beverages on board, sidled up to him. They were on the same flight and he walked every step with them.

Not once did he indicate any annoyance as he exchanged small talk. At the end of a long day he could been excused for brushing them off, but he didn’t.

Like good mates Shannon Hurn and Luke Shuey, taken at #18 in the same draft, Naitanui will on Saturday draw the curtain on a stellar 213 game career. Three times he was all-Australian, twice he won the Club Champion Award but his impact is immeasurable.

We will never again see a player the equal of this colossus of a man, so impactful across every spectrum.