AAP News
Debutant player Josaia Delana of the Giants (rear) looks on during the AFL Round 8 match between the Sydney Swans and the GWS Giants at Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, Sunday, May 4, 2025. [Photo Credit: AAP Image/Dean Lewins]
Josaia Delana may have joked about flying “all of Fiji” to Sydney for his AFL debut, but the 18-year-old GWS Giants rookie certainly had a strong turnout for his first senior game.
Despite being told just two days prior, Delana rallied a support crew of around 80 friends and family members, including his two grandmothers, to watch him run out at the SCG in the Giants’ 14-point loss to Sydney.
While he originally received requests for more than 150 tickets to the highly anticipated Sydney derby, Delana was fortunate that many of his relatives were already in Australia, with only a few needing to be flown in from Fiji.
The young small forward had a modest statistical debut with three disposals, but made an impact with five tackles, showing the tenacity and physical edge carried over from his rugby league background.
Despite Sydney’s defence limiting GWS’s scoring opportunities, Delana’s energy and pressure moments gave fans a glimpse of his potential.
His presence on the field marked more than a personal milestone, it was a proud moment for his community and Fijian supporters, many of whom made the journey across the Pacific to witness it.
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