Dashing defender Joe Fonti says a settled life outside of football has been one of the keys to his strong form after being named the AFL’s Telstra Rising Star nominee for Round 20 following a standout performance in the GIANTS’ stirring comeback win over the Swans on Friday night.

A speedy and daring defender hailing from Western Australia, Fonti joined the GIANTS 18 months ago after being selected by the club with pick 44 in the 2023 Draft.

Debuting in round 17 last year, Fonti has worked hard on his game to establish himself as a regular in Adam Kingsley’s side in his second season, featuring in 12 straight games including Friday’s win over the Swans.

Fronting the media on Tuesday following his AFL Rising Star nomination that came from an eye-catching game against the Swans, Fonti said the recognition was just a bonus alongside another crucial GIANTS win.

“Obviously it’s nice. But most importantly it was better to get the win as a team,” Fonti said. 

“We’ve been struggling to beat them over the last two years so it was definitely such a great feeling finally getting it done against them.”

Fonti let his flair and decision making, rather than stats, do the talking in the win. Finishing with 14 touches, four marks and five intercepts, Fonti said Friday’s game was more about key moments he was able to handle and the growth that he’s shown in his football. 

“I feel like I didn’t have all the stats but I had some core moments, especially defensively, which is something I’ve been working away on in the last few months,” he said.

“I was proud of myself in the sense of getting a bit of reward off the back of hard work I’ve been putting in at training.

“In saying that, I didn’t have a thousand moments like Finn Callaghan would have, but it was a nice individual achievement,” he laughed. 

After a brief stint in the senior side in last year’s debut campaign, the exciting 20-year-old defender says consistency has been a key part of his rise in 2025.

“Last year I had a little stint where I played five games in a row so it’s really good to string a few more together this year,” he said. 

“That was my goal coming into the season—to work away at cementing my spot in the team. So to string together however many it’s been now, maybe nine or ten, it’s definitely a great feeling. I’ll just keep working away at it, do all the little things right, and [hopefully] hold my spot in the side.”

The talented teenager – who packed up his life in WA almost two years ago to move across the country and live out his AFL dream – said his on-field improvement was also linked to feeling more settled in his new life in Sydney.

“I feel the footy performance comes off the back of being comfortable away from footy and being happy mentally,” he shared candidly. 

“I suppose now that I’ve settled down and everything is going well, it’s off the back of that which is where I think the footy performance comes from.” 

Enjoying his footy more than ever, Fonti said the GIANTS’ incredible match-winning nine-goal third quarter against the Swans on Friday – was at a level he’d never experienced before. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever played in a game where we got on top of the momentum and then held it for such a long period of time,” he said.

“Especially when Harry Himmelberg and Lachie Ash kicked their two goals as well. As defenders, I can remember me and Jack Buckley running across the field from the fat side just in awe, celebrating and running over to get around them.

“There were two defender goals, then obviously [Jake] Stringer’s goal as well, Finn’s [Callaghan] goal—we held the momentum for so long which I hadn’t experienced before, and it was such a great feeling.”

As for the GIANTS' next challenge against the Bulldogs on Thursday night at Marvel Stadium, Fonti is embracing every learning opportunity.

“I feel any opportunity I get to play on a more experienced forward than me, I take it with both hands and learn off the back of it.” 

With form, confidence, and continuity on his side, Fonti is fast becoming one of the GIANTS’ most exciting defenders—and a Rising Star nominee who is only just getting started.