CONNOR Idun found what he was looking for in Ghana. He wanted to know why he is the way he is, so he travelled across the world to visit his father’s ancestral home last October in search of answers.

The 25-year-old was born in Essex, England, to a Ghanian father but moved to Australia with his mother when he was five after his parents split, where they settled in Drysdale on the Bellarine Peninsula. 

Idun grew up among a tiny African population. He looked different to everyone else at primary school. And felt different. For most of his formative years, he didn't know anything about his heritage to the point where he was embarrassed by his naivety in his early years at Greater Western Sydney. 

But after reconnecting with his dad, Zac, and older brother, Chris, when they travelled from London to watch him play for the first time at Engie Stadium in March 2024, a spark was lit. Idun didn't just want to learn more, he needed to learn more.

That's what led him to Accra, the capital of Ghana, on the Atlantic coast of West Africa in the off-season.

"Yes, 100 per cent (I found what I was looking for)," Idun told AFL.com.au during Greater Western Sydney's trip to Melbourne in round one.

"I think I'm very high energy, I treat everyone equally, positive in all circumstances. So, yes, I wanted to know where I get that from and just seeing the people of Ghana and the family I met, I instantly understood why.

"They never wiped the smile off their face. We're grateful for everything, very respectful, which is all traits that I try and pride myself on and I spotted. I think it did resonate like I am who I am, and very quickly, too, within the first couple of days of me being there."

Idun hadn't seen his dad for a decade until he came out to Australia to watch Idun play for Greater Western Sydney in a memorable interaction captured on Channel 7's 'Roaming Brian'. 

Growing up on the opposite side of the globe had strained their relationship. They didn't have many shared experiences, but they certainly have lasting memories now from the seven-day trip to Ghana.

"(I) didn't really have any memories that I shared and that resonated with me, so to go on that trip was like a lifetime worth of memories, (we) got so much closer," Idun said.

"I found out where I get my energy from. He is a bit of a kid at heart – he was asking the drivers all sort of stupid questions, which is something I do – it was really valuable for me to be honest.

"He loved it. So many memories, like we got to see my grandpa's grave. That was a great family moment for me and him just to share. We went to the cemetery and the grave was in terrible nick. There were four or five blokes behind us just trailing us and we were like, 'Oh, what's going on here?' But they pointed out to us and instantly just started cleaning it. That was like pretty impactful for me to show that pretty much everyone's there to help.

"We also did a tour of the Elmina Castle down the coast, which was pretty confronting. That was a (major centre of the) slave trade back in the day. They told a few stories which were pretty confronting. I've got a few uncles, aunties and cousins so we went to their house for a big Ghanian feed one night, which I loved, but 'Binga' hated."

'Binga' is Brent Daniels. The star half-forward and Tom Green joined Idun on the trip to support their close mate and learn about his culture. "They were the two whitest guys I could have picked out of the whole club," Idun joked. "I reckon we might have seen one other white person the whole time in Ghana, but we were all greeted with open arms."

Daniels didn't handle some of the local delicacy, much to Idun's amusement. "When I told him it was actually goat (not lamb) in the soup he instantly started feeling sick and didn't say a word for the whole rest of the day. That was so funny." All jokes aside, the investment in time, money and emotion from Daniels and Green is something the key defender will be eternally grateful for. They showed up for him when he needed them.

"The whole time I was there it felt like my heart was going to burst, like I was so happy and emotional the whole time. For them to be able to share it and really buy into it like they did, I was just so appreciative," he said. 

"They were always getting around in the Ghanaian traditional shirts or the soccer shirts, asking a lot of questions. I think it would have been good if I went by myself, but it was made so much better by them being there and so many funny moments and nights out. Even them giving my dad shit, like it was just great. 

"I feel a bit guilty, I haven't been to Binga's house in Swan Hill, but he's come all the way to Ghana. So that's something I want to try and do. But once again, I'm so appreciative of them coming with me."

Like Idun, Green is considered a future captain of GWS. Both were voted vice-captains in 2026, along with Jack Buckley, to support captain Toby Greene. Green won his first Kevin Sheedy Medal in 2025 and was stiff to miss out on All-Australian selection again after being included in the squad for the second time. Now the star midfielder is recovering from a knee reconstruction after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in February.

"It was terrible, obviously, at training when he went down; I just thought it was an ankle; you don't really expect Tom Green to ever get injured, so when I found out he did his knee I was in shock, and so were the boys," Idun said.

"He's a very important player, but just as a leader around the club, he's someone that everyone looks up to and has a big presence, so it did hurt. How to support him? I mean I'm still trying to navigate that, but for me, I try and keep away from footy with him and talk about other stuff and just make sure he's okay emotionally, just be a shoulder to lean on. 

"He's got a goal to come back for finals, his knee's in really good shape now. That's what he's going to aspire to do. So I'll challenge him to get back. We got to hold down the fort and get to finals for him."

Earlier last off-season, Idun was travelling through Spain with a group of Giants' teammates before Harry Himmelberg's wedding in Mallorca. They were in Barcelona when Leek Aleer learned via Instagram that his lucrative move to St Kilda was off. 

The key defender had requested a move to Moorabbin after being courted by the Saints for 18 months, but ultimately stayed at Greater Western Sydney, agreeing to a two-year extension while he was in Europe. It was a brutal experience for Aleer after only just coming to terms with his decision to depart the Giants. 

"The whole thing was a bit of a whirlwind to be honest. He, and all of us boys, had to deal with the emotion of him telling us he's going to leave; he's one of my best mates and close with all the boys. So him telling us he was leaving was like a dagger to the heart, to be honest. We'd only finally just got over that," he said.

"You start recognising him on the phone a bit more and his mind is a bit preoccupied, you feel a bit guilty asking him what's going on, but you sort of want to know. He was very open with it, he handled it like a champ, to be honest. 

"He was a bit upset with how obviously the Saints handled it, but he viewed it as a blessing in disguise; he never wanted to leave, and now he has sort of no other choice but to stay. He's someone that works really hard and wants to earn his position and his legacy in the AFL. He's been training really hard, he's had a bit of a groin issue, but he's getting back to healthy now. He's going to do big things. He's been jumping through the clouds at the moment."

Idun talked to AFL.com.au inside the team's South Yarra hotel on the eve of the Giants' round one match against the Western Bulldogs, before the excitement of the Opening Round win over Hawthorn evaporated with the reality check of losing to the Dogs by 81 points. 

GWS has started the season without seven important first-choice players. Josh Kelly (hip) and Green might return late in the season, but are no guarantees. Sam Taylor (hamstring) will miss at least another six weeks. Toby Bedford and Daniels are another few away from hamstring strains. Aaron Cadman has missed the start of the year with a pelvis issue, while Darcy Jones is ahead of schedule in his return from a knee reconstruction but not expected to feature in the first half of the season.

"My belief is that we're good enough no matter who's out there," he said. "I think we've got one of the deepest lists in the AFL, and then our strength is our connection; we're all from interstate living up in Sydney; you go to the beach and there's 20 of us hanging out together," he said. 

"I see it as a bit of a positive, obviously we want those eight to 10 players playing, but if we don't have them, we get games into the younger fellas, which will hold us in good stead for the for the future. We're confident that no matter what team's on the field, that we can perform and rely on our system over personnel."

Idun has developed into one of the most formidable defenders in the game and could be the next captain of the Giants. Away from the game, Connor Joshua Kwamena Idun now has a greater sense of identity after the trip of a lifetime allowed him to take a proper look under the hood.

The AFL and all 18 clubs will host the Cultural Heritage Series in 2026, to recognise the diverse cultural history of the game's fans. Each club will host its own Cultural Heritage Series match throughout the season. To find out more, go to the Cultural Heritage Series hub.