West Coast champion Nic Naitanui and Adelaide ruckman Reilly O’Brien have renewed their rivalry ahead of their rematch on Sunday afternoon.
Naitanui will notch his 200th game in blue and gold, having overcome two serious knee injuries to reach the milestone.
O’Brien last year landed in hot water after accidentally tweeting his game notes, labelling the Eagle “lazy and unfit”.
“My phone has decided to cark it, and I've had an absolute 'mare on my social media today. It tweeted some of my game notes from my iPhone,” he explained at the time.
“I make a few things up, as you can see on the notes, to try and give myself confidence.”
Naitanui laughed it off at the time but earlier this year, Amazon documentary Making Their Mark revealed how he truly felt.
“I can’t wait to bash this kid on Saturday, I’m sorry to say that,” Naitanui shrugged.
“He’ll get his, he’ll get his.
“I love that stuff, hey? It just makes it. It makes footy fun. I told you, the little things that make footy fun.”
Once the game was underway, the Eagle snapped a goal from a ruck contest early in the game and let O’Brien know all about it.
The honours were split thereafter, as the Crows tall registered just 13 hitouts to Naitanui’s 24 but took nine marks around the ground and had 12 more possessions.
After the Eagles coasted to a 33-point win, Naitanui presented him with a new phone
“He’s the most unique ruckman in the league,” O’Brien told SEN’s Gilly and Goss.
“In terms of the actual ruckwork, he’s definitely the toughest test in the league. He’s just so dynamic.
“His ability in the centre bounce to not just get on top of you in the hitouts but actually damage with them and connect with his midfielders is in my opinion, the top in the league.”
Asked if he had any words for Naitanui who was coming up next on the program, a sheepish O’Brien responded: “I’ll keep tight-lipped this time, I think I gave enough of a message last year.”
As for the new phone Naitanui handed him after their earlier tussle?
“I’d actually already bought a phone!” he laughed.
“I was very thankful for the phone but I did give that away.”
Naitanui said he “can’t wait” to confront the Crows’ reigning best and fairest winner again.
“My twin brother was going to fly over from Melbourne and have a few words with him over the fence but he’s not allowed to come anymore,” he laughed.
“It’ll be up to myself to get the job done on the field with my teammates.”
Selected with the second pick in the 2008 national draft, Naitanui tore his anterior cruciate ligament late in both the 2016 and 2018 seasons, and missed an Eagles premiership.
The 31-year-old never wavered in his application, believing he could give himself another opportunity to experience success.
“I always had faith. I guess some of the hurdles put a little bit of doubt in your mind,” he recalled.
“The first knee was a little bit confronting for me, but the second one was the most challenging. There’s not many guys running around with two reconstructions.
“(But) I always knew what I’d done in the past during my rehab time that I’d be able to get back to some form.”
Naitanui says the injuries pale in comparison to his experience off the field.
“I’ve had adversity my whole life, where I grew up and I guess where my family is from as well. Adversity is just part of everyday life,” he explained.
“Getting through challenges is something I’ve always done, and it’s shown a bit more when you get to the footy level.
“Injuries are tough, but there’s tougher things I’ve been through in life that have put things into perspective for me.”
Naitanui and the Eagles will face O’Brien and the Crows at the Adelaide Oval from 4:35pm AEST on Sunday.