Atu Bosenavulagi Explained

Atu Bosenavulagi
Fullname:Atunaisa Bosenavulagi
Nickname:R2[1]
Birth Date:17 September 2000
Birth Place:Sawani, Naitasiri, Fiji
Originalteam:Oakleigh Chargers
Draftpick:No. 77, 2018 AFL draft,
Debutdate:10 July 2020
Debutstadium:GIANTS Stadium
Height:180 cm
Weight:82 kg
Position:Defender / Forward
Years1:2019–2020
Games Goals1:3 (0)
Years2:2021-2022
Games Goals2:17 (1)
Games Goalstotal:20 (1)
Statsend:the 2022 season

Atunaisa Bosenavulagi (born 17 September 2000) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the North Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), having previously played for the Collingwood Football Club.

Early football

Bosenavulagi played junior football for the Boroondara Hawks in the Yarra Junior Football League, helping them win the premiership in 2017.[2] Bosenavulagi also played under-18s football for the Oakleigh Chargers in the TAC Cup, before getting selected by Collingwood.[3] In his junior years, Bosenavulagi represented Australia as a junior representative in rugby sevens, as well as playing Australian rules football. He played for the Oakleigh Chargers 9 games in 2017, while juggling both codes, seeing him often play football on Saturday and rugby on Sunday.[4] In 2018, he played all 18 games for the Oakleigh Chargers, kicking 15 goals,[5] [6] and helping lead them to the Grand Final,[7] which they lost to the Dandenong Stingrays by four points.[8]

AFL career

Bosenavulagi was part of Collingwood's Next Generation Academy.[9] The club drafted him to their Australian Football League (AFL) squad with the 77th draft pick in the 2018 AFL draft.[10] He debuted for Collingwood in Round 6 of the 2020 AFL season, in the club's 32-point victory over Hawthorn,[11] [12] collecting 16 disposals, taking four marks, and laying one tackle.[13] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, his debut was in a game with no fans, meaning his mother, Meri, couldn't attend the game, making it only the third game of his that she missed.[14]

At the conclusion of the 2020 AFL season, Bosenavulagi was traded to along with North Melbourne teammate Jaidyn Stephenson.[15]

Personal life

Bosenavulagi was born in Fiji in the Sawani village in the Naitasiri Province, and has Fijian heritage.[16] [17] [18] He is the great-nephew of Collingwood's cheer squad leader, Joffa Corfe, who is married to Bosnavulagi's grandma's sister, but Bosenavulagi refers to Corfe as 'grandpa'.[3] Despite Corfe's efforts, Bosenavulagi grew up supporting the Western Bulldogs.[10] Bosenavulagi's father, Atu, played rugby in Fiji and continued when the family moved to Australia in 2003.[19] Bosenvulagi was educated at Christian Brothers College in Melbourne.[20]

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2020 season[21]

|- style="background-color: #eaeaea"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2019| || 40 || 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —|- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2020| || 40 || 3 || 0 || 0 || 9 || 12 || 21 || 6 || 5 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 3.0 || 4.0 || 7.0 || 2.0 || 1.7|- class="sortbottom"! colspan=3| Career! 3! 0! 0! 9! 12! 21! 6! 5! 0.0! 0.0! 3.0! 4.0! 7.0! 2.0! 1.7|}

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Weird footy nicknames: So why do they call Gov 'Brackets'?. Telstra Media. Australian Football League. 16 March 2019.
  2. Web site: 2018 AFL Draft. Yarra Junior Football League. 26 November 2018. 19 July 2020.
  3. News: AFL draft 2018: Atu Bosenavulagi could join Collingwood — the club his 'grandpa' Joffa loves so much. Fox Sports. Waterworth. Ben. 22 November 2018. 16 July 2020.
  4. Web site: Pies pull second selection stunner, gun Sun to finally debut. Mitch. Cleary. Telstra Media. Australian Football League. 9 July 2020.
  5. Web site: Atu Bosenavulagi. DraftGuru. 16 July 2020.
  6. Web site: Atu Bosenavulagi. AFL Draft Central. 19 July 2020.
  7. Web site: Preliminary Final match review – Gippsland Power v Oakleigh Chargers. Gippsland Power. 19 September 2018.
  8. News: AFL draft: Oakleigh Chargers deliver record haul from a TAC Cup club. Herald Sun. 25 November 2018.
  9. News: AFL Draft 2018 Day 2 live coverage: Pies land Joffa's great nephew Atunaisa Bosenavulagi. Daniel. Sankey. The Australian. 23 November 2018.
  10. Web site: Joffa's 'grandson' an X-factor with late pick for Pies. Adrian. Johnson. Telstra Media. Australian Football League. 23 November 2018. 16 July 2020.
  11. News: Hawks and Magpies turn to the kids. Daniel. Cherny. The Age. 9 July 2020.
  12. Web site: Horror fortnight ends as Pies punish Hawks in new low for Clarko. Marc. McGowan. Telstra Media. Australian Football League. 10 July 2020. 16 July 2020.
  13. News: As it happened: Easy win for Pies, Kelly injured on debut. Damien. Ratcliffe. The Age. 10 July 2020.
  14. News: Atu Bosenavulagi's Mum can't wait to see him run out for Collingwood - from afar. Tamara. Oudyn. ABC News. 10 July 2020.
  15. Web site: Trade raid: North loads up on pace with Magpie jets. 12 November 2020. 12 November 2020. AFL Media.
  16. Web site: Atu Bosenavulagi. Telstra Media. Collingwood. 19 July 2020.
  17. Web site: Fiji born Bosenavulagi to make AFL debut tonight. Akuila. Cama. Fijian Broadcasting Corporation. 10 July 2020.
  18. Web site: Bosenavulagi's proud of Atu's achievement. Akuila. Cama. Fijian Broadcasting Corporation. 16 July 2020.
  19. Web site: Atu Bosenavulagi. Harlequin Rugby Melbourne. 19 July 2020.
  20. Web site: ACC has the Numbers in the AFL Draft. Paddy. McKenna. Associated Catholic Colleges. 27 November 2018.
  21. Web site: Atu Bosenavulagi statistics. AFL Tables. 19 October 2020.