GROWING up a rugby league supporter in Western Sydney, Josaia Delana would have been thrilled beyond belief to step inside his favourite club's facilities.
Just visiting the gym, checking out the recovery area, or having a kick on the oval where his heroes trained would have overwhelmed him with excitement.
This Sunday, hundreds of junior AFL participants from across the West will get to experience that exact magic when they head to Giants HQ for the club's Giant Day Out. Even better, the youngsters and their families will then march together to Engie Stadium to cheer on Greater Western Sydney against Brisbane.
As a Western Sydney local raised in a multicultural household, Delana is the exact type of young player the AFL hopes to inspire. Today, he stands as living proof to the next generation that a genuine pathway to the elite level exists right in their backyard.
His own journey started as an 11-year-old, when he first heard about AFL over his school's loudspeaker. When an announcement went out for team tryouts, he and his mates decided to give it a crack, despite not really knowing what the game was about.
Delana ended up really enjoying himself and swiftly progressed through the school pathway while also taking part in afternoon clinics.
The following year, he continued his climb through the school system, ultimately earning a spot on the under-12 New South Wales team. He travelled to Canberra to play against the other states in the national championships - an experience he revelled in, and one where he made friends he would cross paths with later in his professional career.
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It is that same passion driving a massive boom across the region today. The Giant Day Out is built entirely around the NAB AFL Auskick and Superkick age groups, with the latter designed specifically for 7-12-year-olds.
This program has seen explosive growth; last year, many NSW/ACT community clubs recorded a massive 250 per cent year-on-year increase in Auskick and Superkick participation. In fact, NSW and the ACT led the national tally in total Superkick participants, drawing more registrations than anywhere else in Australia.
These record participation figures, together with the growing number of students involved in non-registered Aussie Rules school competitions, underscore that more people are playing AFL in NSW and the ACT than ever before.
That momentum is carrying directly into this year, with junior community football (ages 7+) in Western Sydney already tracking 10 per cent ahead of last year.
As his sporting commitments multiplied between the ages of 13 and 16, Delana balanced rugby league or union on Saturdays with AFL on Sundays. Though he juggled multiple codes, his genuine love for AFL kept him coming back every year, regardless of what else was happening in his world.
When he turned 16, his parents told him he needed to choose one sport.
He chose AFL and subsequently joined the Giants Academy, progressing through the under-16, 17, and 18 programs. Ultimately selected by the club as a Category B Rookie in the 2024 Rookie Draft, he has since gone on to play seven senior games in the orange and charcoal.
Reflecting on his pathway, Delana admits that the transition was not without its challenges.
While a few of his mates initially tried the sport with him, most eventually dropped off or tried to pull him back to rugby league. Throughout high school, his core friendship group played rugby union together. They trained multiple times a week, played on Saturdays, and socialised afterwards - an experience Delana largely missed out on. Dedicating his weekends to his own AFL journey left him feeling somewhat disconnected, especially since his school friends found the sport completely foreign and did not understand it.
Although it was challenging at first to play for a local club without his school or league mates by his side, Delana quickly adapted, building an entirely new circle of friends through club footy to fill that friendship bucket with teammates who shared his passion.
Beyond his social circle, another challenge was navigating a sport his family did not understand. As the oldest sibling, Delana had no older cousins or relatives to look up to who had played AFL before. In fact, his dad - a former high-level rugby league player - barely knew what the game was.
When his family came to watch his early games, their feedback often conflicted with the coach's instructions because they did not know the rules. While it took a few years for them to fully grasp the game, looking back, Delana views it as a funny situation.
"My family definitely knew more about rugby league, and with Dad playing at a high level, that was enticing," Delana told AFL.com.au.
"I grew up playing league, so it felt like sticking with what my family had always done. But with AFL, I just really enjoyed it. I was a fit kid, and I loved that I could run in any direction and didn't have to just run straight into the big Polynesian boys.
"I loved AFL for its freedom, really. You can run in any direction with the ball, you can sidestep anyone, any which way, and it doesn't matter. Plus, the tackling side of things wasn't as physical as rugby league, so I found that enjoyable."
Delana's background also highlights the shifting landscape of the game. Last year, 27 per cent of registered participants had a parent born overseas, accounting for nearly 19,200 individuals officially signed up to an AFL club or program via PlayHQ.
With his dad born in Fiji and his mum born locally in Blacktown, Delana perfectly represents this evolving demographic.
"It's great for the game in terms of multiculturalism. Having diverse cultures in the AFL brings so much to the game, and the fact that I can be living proof of it and show others that there is a genuine pathway is pretty cool," Delana said.
"For others who are in a similar position, where AFL is foreign, and no one in their family has played before, don't let that be a factor [that stops you]. I'm an example of what is possible. I had no idea how to play, didn't know the players, didn't know the rules, and neither did my family or friends. Now, at 19 years old, I've played seven professional games."
As a key initiative to boost participation and grow the game in Western Sydney, a Giant Day Out aims to build community connections.
The gala day provides junior participants a look behind the scenes, showing them where and how the Giants put in the extra touch-and-craft work that drives their success.