Naitanui’s first full pre-season bore fruit in the NAB Cup opener against Essendon, with the 19-year-old producing a dominant best on ground ruck display that included 21 hit-outs, seven clearances, 16 contested possessions and four goals.
The Friday night match has thrust Naitanui into the spotlight and ensured he is a hot talking point this pre-season, but it has also given Worsfold and his coaching group plenty to think about ahead of round one.
“He surprised us all with how well he went,” Worsfold said. “Prior to Friday night we were just going to use him in bits and pieces, (but) we’ve changed that.
“He’s had a really good pre-season this year, so straight away he’s miles ahead (of last season). He’s fitter, he’s grown (and) he’s stronger than he was last year. That means he’s more equipped to cope with AFL footy.
“It’s opened up a lot of different challenges for us as a match committee.”
The pressing issue for Worsfold is how he can best use Naitanui and champion ruckman Dean Cox in tandem, with the four-time All-Australian on track for West Coast’s round one clash with the Brisbane Lions.
Worsfold said both players would rotate through the forward line, but how long each spends in the ruck and who starts in the centre square would be experimented with through the season.
“There are various ways we can use Nic and Dean together and we’ll have a look at it, depending what different circumstances call for and the time of the year,” Worsfold said.
“It’s going to be great for Dean that he’s got more assistance and it’s great for Nic to get more time in the ruck.
“There’s certain teams that might think they’ve got plans that they’ve used to good effect against Coxy rucking, well all of a sudden Coxy’s not in there - Naitanui is - and that can change everything.
“Teams might have to have two sort of plans for different scenarios.”
Naitanui dispatched of a second-string Essendon ruck division last week and Worsfold said the youngster’s next challenge was to perform against experienced big men.
He will lead the ruck against Port Adelaide in the second round of the NAB Cup, but while his on-field responsibilities grow, Worsfold said the club needed to control the popular figure’s off-field commitments as his profile soars.
“We’re just very conscious of the demands on him,” Worsfold said. “The media’s excited, because it’s good stuff to report on (and) I can guarantee our marketing department are just as excited.
“There’s all that that we have to manage and we’re all aware of it.”
Naitanui’s rapid rise in popularity can be compared to that of former club captain Ben Cousins, who became West Coast’s most marketable asset just three seasons into his AFL career.
But while Cousins emerged in some of West Coast’s leaner years, Worsfold said Naitanui would enjoy the support of an improving team stocked with players that will eventually challenge him for the title of best Eagle.
“Nic is the flavour of the moment, but I think that will even out over time with some of the other young players coming through,” he said.
“Nic, in terms of the marketing side, has probably got the advantage on the other guys, but in terms of excitement and who’s going to be the best Eagles player, I think some of those guys will be right up there with him.
“That’s all ahead for him, and it’s exciting, he’s got some big challenges.”
Nic Naitanui is a $232,400 ruckman in this year’s Toyota AFL Dream Team.
