Nic Naitanui was born in Sydney to Fijian parents before moving to Perth. He was picked by the West Coast Eagles with the second pick in the 2008 National Draft. With a prodigious jump and athleticism, he soon made his mark as a young ruckman with incredible potential. A series of knee injuries hampered his career, forcing Nic to miss the West Coast Eagles premiership victory in 2018. In 2020, Nic had his first full season in four years, receiving All-Australian honours as starting ruckman, and winning the John Worsfold medal as West Coast Eagle's best and fairest player. Other career highlights include Mark of the Year (2015), All-Australian (2012, 2020) and Australian Squad (2014).