The powerhouse Eagles ruckman played the entire 2011 season nursing an injured shoulder and rushed straight to surgery in October after West Coast completed a remarkable turnaround to finish in a preliminary final against eventual premiers Geelong.
And Naitanui expects far greater scrutiny on West Coast in 2012 than last season when the Eagles crashed back into finals after finishing last with just four wins in 2010.
“Definitely. I think last year there was no real expectation or pressure because we finished bottom of the ladder,” he exclusively told sportsnewsfirst.com.au.
“I think it’s a good thing especially for us young guys to have that expectation on us to make finals again and breed that successfully nature upon us and make us want to win.”
Naitanui, just 21, turned in some stunning displays of aerial high-marking acrobatics and ruck tapping in 23 of a possible 25 outings with West Coast last season despite his agonising shoulder complaint that required constant weekly treatment to recover for each match.
The popular big man is now back into full swing and ready to resume clasping his bear-hug tackles on teammates in summer training and then his AFL opponents from as early as next month’s NAB Cup competition.
He revealed plans to potentially play his first games late into the four-week NAB Cup series.
“It (shoulder) is good. I started back in the main training the other day,” he said.
“I’m still trying to get my bench press up and my tackling as well but it’s coming along well.”
Naitanui intends to rapidly increase his weight training schedules now that his powerful shoulders are back in full working order.
“I’m probably half way there,” he said.
“I’ve been doing the little stuff well, it’s just getting the strength back that I used to have and build the muscle back up in my pecs (chest muscles) is the main issue at the moment.
“At the latter stages of the NAB cup I’ll be able to play in and be ready for Round 1.”
Naitanui is adamant he wants to remain free of injury and is just as forthright in prospects for West Coast to progress a step further after a losing preliminary final last season.
“My first (goal) would be (stay) injury free,” he said.
“Playing all last year with injury was a little bit annoying but probably to continue as a team like we did last year and go that one step further.
“Now we’ve had a taste of finals for the first time we want to play in the grand final.
“Most of us were there watching it (grand final) at the ground last year and it kind of hurts thinking one more week and we could have been there.”
Naitanui doesn’t shun chances of a West Coast flag in 2012.
“I reckon we can,” said the affable big man.
“Every team at the start of the year has the same chance but we’re hoping to do one better from last year and make it there and hopefully win it.
“We just have to get there first and make finals but I reckon we could (win it).”
Naitanui disclosed that West Coast coaching and fitness staff have been in a heavy training phase and did not back down when Perth went through a record-breaking heat wave with temperatures consistently around 40C for more than a week.
“We’re all pretty tired at the moment. Perth’s pretty hot,” he said.
“We’ve been having some big sessions in the heat, it was 40 degrees (on Wednesday) but it’s making the boys fitter and no one is complaining.
“We’re all just looking to have a game on the weekend instead of training.”
Naitanui identified exciting on-baller Luke Shuey and rugged follower Scott Selwood as two young Eagles set for big seasons after impressive summer programs as well as confessed plans for playing improvement after a severe review of efforts in 2011.
“We thought we did pretty well (last season) in most areas,” Naitanui confessed.
“Obviously our use of the footy coming out of the back line hurt us a couple of times through turn-over’s and stuff coming through the middle.
“But I think our main aim is to keep taking the game on which gives us that licence to take the game on and if we see something open up even if we have our game plans coach just tells us to play footy.
“For us young guys that helps us a fair bit because you play how you naturally did as a kid and obviously it worked last year.
“So we’re hoping we can do it again this year. We just need to get our numbers up, me and (Dean Cox) Coxy need to stay fit and keep rucking pretty well and the forwards have to do their stuff.
“I think it’s going to be hard to break into the team this year as it was last year, it was pretty good
“My first couple of years at the club there wasn’t that much pressure on the guys playing in the senior squad every week but last year and hopefully this year gain the WAFL boys will be putting that pressure on
“I think that’s what we need to continue to win games and go on in the future.”