Favorite player: Bruce Doull, "The Flying Doormat."
Posted on 01/12/2006 7:33:01 PM PST by Aussie Dasher
THE Swans and Kangaroos could be playing for million-dollar American football contracts on Monday.
The Sydney-Kangaroos exhibition match here is primarily to give US sports fans a taste of the AFL but, in the wake of Ben Graham's stunning debut season with the New York Jets, NFL scouts are expected to attend.
The match will be held at the University of California (UCLA), home to the country's glamour college American football team, the UCLA Bruins.
Members of the UCLA coaching staff will also be taking a look at potential recruits.
"Sure, we're interested in looking at these guys," UCLA director of football operations Bob Lopez said yesterday.
Australia has become a new source of talent for the NFL and college football, with big-kicking former AFL players sought to fill the specialty position of punter.
Former West Coast and Melbourne star Darren Bennett has recently retired after 11 successful years in the NFL.
He earned $2.27 million in his final year with the Minnesota Vikings.
And former Geelong skipper Graham has proved to be one of the NFL's best punters in his first year with the Jets.
Another Australian, Mat McBriar, who honed his skills with the University of Hawaii before moving to the NFL, is the Dallas Cowboys' starting punter.
Lopez said if Swans or Kangaroos players impressed the UCLA coaches, they might be offered scholarships to attend the university and play for the Bruins.
"If we saw someone interesting, we'd make an initial contact and get their basic information," Lopez said.
The timing of the Swans-Roos game is perfect for NFL and college scouts.
The NFL is in its post-season, with the teams that failed to make the playoffs looking for new talent.
The college football season has just ended and coaches and scouts are also examining prospects for next season.
UCLA will host a group of potential players flown in from around the US in the next week.
"Between now and April is what we call a contact period," Lopez said.
"We can talk to prospects. We actually will have some prospects visiting later this week."
The punter is often the subject of of jokes in the US because he spends most of the game on the sidelines and is brought on only when the team needs to kick its way to better field position.
Lopez, however, said a good punter was a valuable addition to any team.
"The game is a field position game," Lopez said. "If you spend a good period of the game in your own end, away from your goal line, you are going to have a rough go of it.
"A good punter is a huge part of the game."
The Swans-Roos game is part of the third annual G'Day LA Australia Week festival, which runs from January 14-22 and is designed to promote Australian sport, business, film, art, food, tourism and wine in Los Angeles. – AAP
You'd be mad to miss it!
I've seen TV footage of Aussie footy. "Mad" is a proper term for many of those who play it. It's brutal!
Brutal - and I LOVE it!
Roll on March!
(Underrated over here in the States, of course).
About five years ago, there was an exhibition game in Toronto that drew almost 30,000 spectators -- many just curious, but far more than their CFL games generate.
'Love the refs in the lab coats... 8>)
Bunk.
Go Huskies!
Favorite player: Bruce Doull, "The Flying Doormat."
I love that game too. Very fun to watch.
Yeah, when ESPN stood for "Every Sport, Poor or Not", those were fun games to watch. They had an interesting ladder playoff system, and the Grand Finals were pretty spectacular events.
It appears as if all the Aussie players are becoming punters. Is their play so different that they can't also adopt to linebacker or other position? Because each team only needs one punter, and punters rarely get injured.
It's the only way the NFL can keep the Aussie players from handing an NFL player a proper thrashing.
TTTC, former college rugby player.
I thought all Aussies were punters? =)
I've only seen one Aussie rules game. It was fun, if not a bit confusing.
Cool! Anyone carrying it on television!?
Not that I'm aware of. Looks like you'll have to go and watch.
I go every week even when it's on the telly. Aussie football live can't be beaten.
Rats, I am too far away to attend this event.
But thank goodness for FSC. Thursday nights are AFL night when the season is in session. The games are taped delayed about 5 days but its better than nothing.
They also show the Grand Final live !! I haven`t missed it in years.
We do have a little footy league here in the USA: http://www.usfooty.com/usfooty/
I followed Ben Graham`s progress with the Jets and it was nice to see him do very well. Hope he sticks around.
Go Bombers !!
"Anyone carrying it on television!?"
FSC ( Fox soccer channel ).
Thursday nights for the featured match of the week and Friday afternoons for a league recap.
You`ll have to wait until next season to catch it though.
: (
Kicking, while important, is usually performed by 115-pound weaklings. Is that the best the Aussies have to offer?
I had no idea about US footy. Good stuff!
As for "Go Bombers", well where exactly do you think you got your coach from??? None other than the Mighty Fighting Tigers! Eat 'em alive!!!!!
Dunno about you, but I'd be somewhat reluctant to collide with them going full pace!
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