NEW Blue Orazio Fantasia made it very clear who had a big a say as any in his decision to call IKON Park home.
Signed as a delisted free agent on the second day of the window, Fantasia’s talents are no secret to the football world, having kicked 141 goals from his 99 games at Essendon and Port Adelaide.
It was at Alberton where Fantasia met Michael Voss, striking up an instant relationship with the man he’ll know call his AFL Senior Coach.
Speaking to SEN after his move to the Blues, Fantasia said it was a chat instigated by Voss which got the ball rolling.
“He was at Port when I was there and we got along really, really well. We stayed in touch and at the end of this season, he gave me a call and said ‘What are you doing? Let’s have a chat’. We sat down and went from there,” Fantasia said.
“It’s the connection and relationship he can create with his players. You would’ve seen it last year, the passion they showed, especially through the finals — they’re playing for him and he can really connect with them.
“That’s what I had with him, a great relationship. The empathy he showed towards me, we’d catch up for coffee, I gave him some pasta sauce as well. He loved that!
What Voss ensured was that Fantasia was under no illusions: there was only a spot there if he earned it.
Understanding that there’ll be no positions given in this Carlton team, Fantasia said he’d relish not only the challenge that was ahead, but also the chance to get to work with some of the Blues’ emerging forward group.
“That was the conversation we had. He said ‘You’re not just coming in straight away, you’ve got to earn your spot’. There are no guarantees, and I understand that,” he said.
“I’m not walking into the team thinking I’m going to play straight away. I just want to train well, get to know the boys and put my best foot forward. A lot of those small forwards are young and only around 21-22 years old, so I feel like I can help them grow as well.”
And while it’s been a difficult past two years for him, count out the excitement machine at your own peril.
“The last three years were challenging, but I’ve definitely grown as a person. I’ve been chasing my tail, but I played the last five SANFL games in a row, and I’ll go into this pre-season ready to go from day one,” he said.
“I’m only 28, I’m not past it yet. I’ve got great confidence that I can still play my game.”
