Esava Ratugolea talks Nic Naitanui influence, family and Port Adelaide ahead of 100th AFL game

Esava Ratugolea never thought he’d emulate Nic Naitanui by playing one AFL game. Now he’s on the cusp of his 100th, he reveals his goal to inspire the next generation of Pacific Islander youth to chase a football career.

If you see it you can be it.

After being inspired by idols from his Fijian heritage such as Nic Naitanui when he was a kid, Esava Ratugolea hopes he too can inspire just one child from a similar background to make it to the AFL.

The Port Adelaide defender is preparing to notch up his 100-game milestone against St Kilda at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, a mark which he never predicted that he would reach.

It is a long way from when Ratugolea began his career as a speculative pick by Geelong — a club for whom he would go on to play 75 games — in 2016.

It is even further from Cobram in northern Victoria, where a previously rugby league mad Ratugolea realised as a kid that he needed to find a different sport after moving from New South Wales.

“I haven’t really given myself a chance (to reflect much) to be honest,” Ratugolea said.

“But looking back, there are a lot of great memories. (There’s been) a lot of relationships built and I’ve come a long way football wise, but as a person as well.

“So it’s something that I’m super proud of.

“I came in as a real kid, not knowing what my future looked like at AFL level.

“To play one game was a great achievement, but to make 100 games is awesome and I’m proud of that and my family’s proud of that, too.

“So that’s the most important thing as well.”

Port Adelaide defender Esava Ratugolea ahead of his 100th AFL game. Picture: Matt Sampson

Ratugolea flies high during the 2016 TAC Cup Grand Final. Picture: David Crosling

But while it might be his name associated with the 100-game milestone, Ratugolea says it is about much more than just him.

“My family have been on the phone to me all week, so they’re super excited to get here this week and spend the weekend in Adelaide and come watch me play,” he said.

“So that’ll be great to have them over for this weekend. I wouldn’t be here without the work from them.

“What they did for me growing up and what they do for me to this day. This is all to do with them, really.”

Esava Ratugolea after being drafted to Geelong.

Ratugolea is hoping to inspire kids in the same way Nic Naitanui inspired him.

This fuels why Ratugolea hopes he can encourage more people from similar cultural backgrounds to dream of making it to the AFL.

“I like to say that I inspire kids, but I sort of just go about my business and if I do inspire one kid now, then I’m doing my job,” he said.

“So hopefully there’s kids out there that see me and they can believe in themselves and think that they can do it as well.

“I was probably that kid growing up, watching Nic Nat (Naitinui) playing, and seeing Aliir play and seeing all these guys coming through the ranks. So hopefully I’ve inspired some along the way.”

While the majority of his career was at the Cats, Ratugolea said it was special to bring up the 100-game milestone at the Power after his move to Alberton that was two years in the making.

“The biggest thing was to chase opportunity, really, and I feel like the club has given me that,” he said.

“I wanted to play AFL footy and last year they gave me the opportunity to do that and Ken (Hinkley) has put a lot of trust in me and a lot of faith in me as well.

“I’m super appreciative of that.

Ratugolea as a young Cat.

And celebrating a goal for the Power.

“But also, I don’t want to forget about being at the Cats too, and the development and the time they put into me I’ll forever be grateful for.

“Again, there’s a lot of people along the journey that I still have to thank.”

The 26-year-old’s second season at the Power was hit by a knee injury in pre-season, but Ratugolea returned to the fold against Essendon last week.

“I was obviously frustrated getting through a full pre-season and then having a little niggle in the knee,” he said.

“But I’d rather get the injury early in the year than through the middle of the season anyway, or the most important part of the season.

“I just had to chip away at my rehab and get to it.

“I hadn’t hurt my knee since 2015 or something like that. So it was sort of an injury that I had never really been familiar with, especially with not having contact or being around anyone when I did it.

“So it sort of stressed me a little bit.”

But luckily for him, it just required a trim of his meniscus.

With the Power holding a 1-2 record, Ratugolea is determined to help his side bounce back against the Saints and — hopefully — toast his milestone.

“It’s obviously very important,” he said.

“We were disappointed from last week and we had our honest reviews this week, as we do, but we’ve trained well.

“We’re ready to move on, to be honest, and we can bounce back this weekend.”

Originally published as Esava Ratugolea talks Nic Naitanui influence, family and Port Adelaide ahead of 100th AFL game