NFL Teams Could Take A Punt On Many AFL Footballers
In the future Brendan Fevola could be an Oakland Raider, Anthony Rocca could be a Pittsburgh Steeler and Brendon Goddard could be a New Orleans Saint. Darren Bennett opened the door, Ben Graham eventually followed and Saverio Rocca is also getting a chance to play in the NFL. If NFL teams want to sign a punter then the AFL is the place to look.
Australian football has always been a sport where kicking the ball long was very important. A century ago Albert Thurgood was reportedly kicking the ball 75 yards. Dave McNamara was credited with a kick that went 97 yards.
NFL scouts should be visiting some former and current AFL players. Stuart Dew would be the main player to talk to. His game was all about getting the ball, taking a couple of steps and sending the football 60m. Dew retired early, compared to most AFL footballers, so he could have a long NFL punting career if he changed his mind and pursued it.
There are also some former AFL players who would have been very good at NFL punting, but they missed their chance. Ang Christou would have been a good option for the NFL. Richard Osborne was a former AFL player who did think about the NFL. He didn't make it though, either did Nathan Chapman although he did play a preseason game. Bill Brownless could have had a great career in the NFL. Kicking the ball over a wheat silo is a good indication of hang time.
Quinten Lynch is a current player who would be looked at by NFL scouts, and if he becomes a Green Bay Packer, Buffalo Bill or Seattle Seahawk he is already equipped with gloves for the cold, rain or snow. Fraser Gehrig would have been a good NFL player, as a middle linebacker or as a punter. That would probably be a rare combination. Scott Lucas has as big a left foot as Ben Graham does.
But assuming that Saverio Rocca makes it onto the Eagles' roster for next season, the next AFL player to go to the NFL could be Saverio's huge little brother. According to Sav, Anthony is also interested in going to the NFL. There are only 32 positions for punters in the NFL, already two are filled with long-kicking Australians with Big Sav another possible addition. It wouldn't surprise if in the near future there were ten Australian footballers in the AFL. It isn't a bad retirement plan for former AFL footballers.
Australian football has always been a sport where kicking the ball long was very important. A century ago Albert Thurgood was reportedly kicking the ball 75 yards. Dave McNamara was credited with a kick that went 97 yards.
NFL scouts should be visiting some former and current AFL players. Stuart Dew would be the main player to talk to. His game was all about getting the ball, taking a couple of steps and sending the football 60m. Dew retired early, compared to most AFL footballers, so he could have a long NFL punting career if he changed his mind and pursued it.
There are also some former AFL players who would have been very good at NFL punting, but they missed their chance. Ang Christou would have been a good option for the NFL. Richard Osborne was a former AFL player who did think about the NFL. He didn't make it though, either did Nathan Chapman although he did play a preseason game. Bill Brownless could have had a great career in the NFL. Kicking the ball over a wheat silo is a good indication of hang time.
Quinten Lynch is a current player who would be looked at by NFL scouts, and if he becomes a Green Bay Packer, Buffalo Bill or Seattle Seahawk he is already equipped with gloves for the cold, rain or snow. Fraser Gehrig would have been a good NFL player, as a middle linebacker or as a punter. That would probably be a rare combination. Scott Lucas has as big a left foot as Ben Graham does.
But assuming that Saverio Rocca makes it onto the Eagles' roster for next season, the next AFL player to go to the NFL could be Saverio's huge little brother. According to Sav, Anthony is also interested in going to the NFL. There are only 32 positions for punters in the NFL, already two are filled with long-kicking Australians with Big Sav another possible addition. It wouldn't surprise if in the near future there were ten Australian footballers in the AFL. It isn't a bad retirement plan for former AFL footballers.
