A highly talented athlete, Nathan represented Australia at Under 16 level against Pakistan in 2015, before representing Victoria in 2016. With Cricket very much the centre of attention, Nathan also enjoyed his footy where he played with his school mates at Brighton Grammar in the APS Competition.
After a summer of Cricket, Nathan pulled on the boots for Brighton Grammar and quickly came to the attention of many AFL recruiters after being shifted forward by School Coach, Robert Shaw. Kicking a few bags of goals early in the season, Nathan gained some confidence which then saw him playing for Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup during the School holidays where he showed his versatility by playing down back and up forward.
As the momentum around his footy grew stronger, Nathan made the decision to fully invest his sporting endeavours into Football resulting in great success at the 2017 NAB AFL Draft when Collingwood nabbed him with pick 39. This was an outstanding result for both Nathan and Collingwood as they rated him in the top half dozen of the Draft.
Settling in well at the Pies, Nathan played both forward and back in the VFL before making his debut in defence in the AFL team in Round 22. Adding a further game to his tally in Round 23, Nathan was unfortunately overlooked for a finals spot. Using this as motivation heading into 2019, Nathan suffered an ankle injury in Round 1 of the VFL season resulting in an extended time out of the game hampering much of the season. A change of coach in the 2021 season saw Nathan rewarded with a consistent spot in the senior team where he was used in a variety of positions showcasing his versatility. This was further solidified in 2022 under new coach Craig McRae, where Nathan played 16 games for the year as a third tall in defense. Nathan was vital to the defensive structure of the Collingwood in 2023, playing 24 games and being apart of the team’s premiership success.
Recruited From: 2017 NAB AFL Draft, Pick 39 from Sandringham Dragons (TAC Cup)
Achievements:
2023 Premiership Player