ESAVA Ratugolea has transitioned comfortably into life at Port Adelaide, admitting the move to Alberton felt like the “perfect fit”. 

The 25-year-old joined good friends and former Geelong teammates Francis Evans and Quinton Narkle at the Power, with both influencing him in making the decision to relocate. 

Speaking with the Adelaide media on Wednesday, Ratugolea delved into what lured him to his new club, how he’s settling in, and what role he’s expecting to play in the team’s new-look backline. 

Ratugolea on living in Adelaide 
“It's nice. I enjoy it here. Gives me the same vibe as Geelong, like a big country city. I can't deal with the busyness of Melbourne and the city there, so it's really easy to get around here. And the club's great, it's been a good first few weeks and I’m settling in now, which is nice. It’s good. 

“It's been warm, we’ve had some hot days. The weather’s sort of up and down. But about this time, Geelong would be freezing cold, so I don't mind it. I’m close to the beach too, not far from the beach anyway, so it's nice.” 

Ratugolea on the people he knew before coming to Port Adelaide 
“I knew Quinton (Narkle). I knew Francis Evans. I met Sam Powell-Pepper a bit here and there and I played juniors with Todd Marshall a bit as well, so I knew a few boys here and there through footy. But yeah, probably Quinton and Francis are probably the ones I’m closest to.” 

Ratugolea on wanting to come to Port Adelaide 
“A lot of it was to do with opportunity. I didn't want to leave the place (Geelong) but for myself, if I wanted to if I want to take my footy to another level I probably needed to go somewhere. This was this was a perfect fit for me. And Ken was in my ear for a couple of years too which helped, but yeah, I just had to make the move.” 

“One of my best mates that I got drafted with, Quinton (Narkle) was picked up here as well. He was another person that got me over the line. But yeah, it was it was a bunch of things, but mainly opportunity. 

“(The club) showed a lot of trust in me. And Ken was really good with that and he convinced me pretty early. I came here a bit and I love the environment here and especially being close to Quinton and Francis, they told me the same thing, they loved it here. The move was pretty easy here, so they got me across the line. Ken was a big part of that as well.” 

Ratugolea on pre-season training 
“These boys are flying at the moment. There's a lot of young guys out there that are full of energy, and they're moving pretty well and it's a lot harder to defend I reckon. At the moment, they keep me on my toes. I love the vibe here. It's young, a lot younger than Geelong, but yeah a lot of energy here, they’ve been bloody good to train with too.” 

Ratugolea on making the decision to move clubs 
“It was pretty hard, I sort of kept second guessing myself. It was a tough year, because I love that place so much so it wasn't an easy decision. At the back end (of the year), close to the trade period (I thought I might leave Geelong)…but it wasn't easy. 

Ratugolea on finding out the trade was complete 
“I was in France. I was actually on a run at the time while the (trade deadline was happening). It was good that I was overseas because I can't deal with the talk and all that stuff. I just said to my manager, call me if anything happens. But yeah, I was on a run, early in the morning and then it got the call in the middle of a run and they said yes, the deal was done. It was nice. I was running past the Eiffel Tower, which is nice. And then I was with Brandan Parfitt and Francis (Evans) at the time (so) I told them at the same time. It was a good decision.” 

Ratugolea on how he felt leading up to the trade deadline 
“Not really (worried it wouldn’t happen). I kind of knew that it was going to get done but then at the same time, like I'm a very laidback person. So I'm like, if something happens, that'd be great but I always thought it was going to get done anyway. 

“I would have (stayed at Geelong if it didn’t get done). It's not an easy place to leave. And I'm always someone that has taken comfortability over anything so a move interstate (I knew) would have been hard…but there was that balance of choosing opportunity over comfortability. Because I’ve got my family there and everything so I wouldn't have minded (staying, and) my family wouldn't have minded that.” 

Ratugolea on filling a key defender gap at Port Adelaide 
“Yeah, though, that was definitely a thing that got me across the line where they needed a key defender, Ken was in my ear about that. I don't want to put that pressure on myself, I sort of just want to play my footy, I reckon. If I start putting that pressure on myself, that's where I struggle. Games aren’t far away, but I’ve just got to keep working and keep gelling with these guys down back. We still got a lot of time for that and there's still a lot of work to do.  

Ratugolea on his role in defence 
“At the moment, I've been taking probably the biggest forward. So trying to release Aliir a little bit. But then again, we don't want to be stuck on positions. Aliir can play both as well, and can release me as well, we can bring Thatch (Brandon Zerk-Thatcher) into it as well. There's a lot of blokes back there with a lot of weapons and we want to utilise all of them. So, I guess there's a lot of flexibility but at the moment I'm taking the bigger guys.” 

Ratugolea on learning from Aliir Aliir 
“He's been bloody good. I've always watched footage of him and looked up to him just the way he plays. It's been great being able to be right next to him. I’ve been so lucky, because he's been open with that stuff, and been able to help me with that stuff and go through footage and go through some marking contests out on the ground. At the moment, we're just trying to gel together and see how each other play, but I'm bloody excited for the next year or so. 

“I try and read the ball as well as he does, because he is really good with that stuff, decision making and things like that. And that's something that I'm slowly bringing into my game. I’m still new to the to the backline, so that's sort of the stuff I’m trying to take out of his game.” 

Ratugolea on his living arrangements 
“I’m on my own at the moment. I still need to figure out where I want to live because I'm very unsure of Adelaide. I don't know if I want to live next to the beach or in the city, so I’ve just got to figure that out. But I've got a dog actually, that I’ve got to bring over from Geelong but once he gets here, I'll be settled. He’s a chocolate labrador named Bear, he’s three years old. He’s back at my mum’s house so I’ll be excited when I get to bring him (over).” 

Ratugolea on his family 
“They struggled a bit (with me moving). Mainly my grandmother because we’ve always been so close. I keep just reminding them it's a 40-minute plane ride, so I'm not far at all, just in a different state. Any opportunity I can go back, I'll go back and see my family but I think they're pretty keen to come to Adelaide and watch a few games as well.” 

Ratugolea on his expectations of himself 
“I just want to lock down the spot really at the moment. There's a few boys putting their hands up as well to play the position I’m in. For me, it's probably consistency and trying to keep my spot in the side. (That’s something) I've probably struggled with the last few years as well. I've come to a place where that opportunity is there for me, I’ve just got to grab it with both hands. I’ve just got to keep working and gelling together with these guys. For me, it's just trying to keep my position, because there's a lot of blokes coming up behind me as well.”