Fantasia graduated from Norwood Morialta High School in 2013.[6] Fantasia played his junior football for the Payneham Norwood Union Football Club where his talent was identified by South Australian Hall of Famer Garry McIntosh who selected him in the club's senior side as a 15 year old. He made his senior debut for Norwood in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) in 2013. In only his fourth game he was a member of their 2013 SANFL premiership side.[6]
He made his debut against Richmond in round 20, 2014[7] and was dropped for the following round but regained his spot in round 22 against the Gold Coast, replacing Dyson Heppell who missed the game due to a broken hand. In the final round of the 2015 season, he was rewarded with a nomination for the AFL Rising Star where he recorded 27 disposals and five marks in the Bombers' three-point victory over Collingwood.[8]
Fantasia received a second nomination for the Rising Star after his three goals, eleven disposals, seven contested possessions, and seven tackles in round 17, 2016.[9]
In August 2018, Fantasia signed a three-year deal, keeping him at Essendon until the end of the 2021 season.[10]
In August 2020, Fantasia again showed an interest in returning to South Australia, with a possible move to the Port Adelaide Football Club. He eventually got his wish, and was traded to Port Adelaide on the final day of the trade period.[11]
Fantasia was delisted by Port Adelaide at the conclusion of 2023, and was subsequently picked up as a delisted free-agent by Carlton.
Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of the 2024 season[12]
^"Orazio Fantasia". afltables.com. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
Footnotes
^Fantasia has used both pronunciations of his surname. He has noted that the "fan-tə-SEE-ə" pronunciation is closer to the original Italian pronunciation. In 2019, however, a spokesperson for Esssendon, for whom Fantasia then played, stated that "Orazio is [also] comfortable if people continue to run with [the "fan-TAY-zhə"] pronunciation."[3] Following Fantasia's expression of his preferences on the matter, commentator Brian Taylor was criticised for continuing to use the "fan-TAY-zhə" pronunciation, claiming it to be an "Australianism".[3] Despite his own expressed preferences, Fantasia typically uses the "fan-TAY-zhə" pronunciation when referring to himself.[4][5]
