AFL superstar Nic Naitanui takes his new girlfriend on a romantic wine tasting tour – only to be roasted by pals over his soppy Instagram posts

AFL star Nic Naitanui has given a rare insight into his love life by sharing photos of a romantic getaway with new partner.

The West Coast Eagle took a trip to Margaret River in Western Australia with Brittany Brown for some wine tasting in the renowned vineyard region.

The 30-year-old posed with Brown at Beerfarm in the state's south west and at Amelia Park Winery with fellow Eagles Liam Duggan, Josh Rotham and Jamie Cripps and partners Lauren Goold, Maddie Greaves, and Liv Stanley.

The ruckman also showed his 147,000 followers an incredible sunset, a morning cycling session, and a gorgeous swimming hole in his stories. 

Nic Naitanui has shown off his new romance with Brittany Brown (pictured together) on social media

The West Coast Eagle shared happy snaps with Brown (pictured together) from a trip to Margaret River in WA

Comments on the posts celebrated Naitanui and Brown's budding romance.  

'You guys look good together!' one Instagram commentator wrote.

Others were quick to roast Naitanui for his soppy posts.

'Is it official? Have we lost another soldier to love?' one post reads. 

Naitanui in September opened up about his love-hate relationship with his Nic-Nat nickname and how fans and commentators have been mispronouncing his surname throughout his career.

The All-Australian player told Marc Fennell's new podcast Hey Guess What? he has come to somewhat accept the nickname although it jarred with him for a long time. 

'It's funny, the name ''Nic Nat''. So I'm from Fiji originally, and my surname is pronounced ''Nai-ta-nui'' but in Australia – you come to Australia and everyone says ''Nat-a-nooi'' and that's what the commentators say in the game,' he said. 

The couple were joined by fellow Eagles Liam Duggan, Josh Rotham and Jamie Cripps and partners Lauren Goold, Maddie Greaves and Liv Stanley on their trip

'From there on, like any typical Australian you get a slang, and it just became Nic Nat. 

'I like it but at times I hate it because sometimes you're walking down the street and you hear people yell out Nic Nat or little kids on the side of the fence, Nic Nat! Nic Nat! Nic Nat!

'It's become a part of my makeup now.'

Naitanui had a tough upbringing and was raised by his single mum Atetha Naitanu after his father died of cancer when he was just two years old. 

The family moved to Perth and a young Naitanui struggled in the absence of other Pacific Islanders who had made it in AFL, with the rugby codes dominant in that community.

'It was hard because I didn't really have any heroes or idols that played the sport that resembled me,' he explained. 

The 30-year-old West Coast Eagles player spoke to Mark Fennell on Telstra's first episode of a new podcast, Hey, Guess What? (pictured: during the West Coast Eagles match against the Hawthorn Hawks in 2018)

'Growing up where I did and living where I do – no one really looks like you. So for me, it was hard, especially playing football.  

'I used to cop it a fair bit out of the footy field from other kids. You know, things like ''what are you doing out here?'' ''You lost?'' ''This game's not for you''.

'As a kid, you had to have a fair bit of resilience to get through some of that stuff because I'm not gonna lie to you, it did hurt. But it also fuelled me on to get better and prove these guys wrong.'

He had difficulty convincing his mother that he was going to take a chance on forging a professional career in the AFL. 

However the decision paid off; making his debut as a 19-year-old in West Coast's No.9 jumper formerly worn by Ben Cousins.

Naitanui had a tough upbringing and was raised by his single mum Atetha Naitanu after his father tragically passed away from cancer when he was just two years old 

The Naitanui's moved to Perth following their father's tragic passing from cancer 

Since that 2009 debut, Naitnaui has played 179 games despite missing all of the 2017 season and much of 2019 due to serious knee injuries.

But when he hit his 150th game in 2018, Naitanui said if he could wish for one thing it would have been to have his mother there, but she had died shortly beforehand.

'That's probably the saddest part, not having my mum with me for my 150th,' he previously said.

'She's been there through the whole journey and the hardships of what I faced early days.

'When you first come here, your main goal is to play a game.

'To see me get to 150, there's not a lot of us boys who got drafted in that one street to get to 150.

'I'm the first of the lot. I think she'll be really proud.'

Nic Naitanui of the Eagles warms up during the 2020 AFL Round 13 match between the West Coast Eagles and the GWS Giants at Optus Stadium on August 23, 2020