American Reacts To AFL Mason Cox ( REACTION !!! )

[@MsDimsta]

Fast forward 2023 .. Mason is a premiership player! Well done.. we love this guy

[@consciousbeing1188]

It should also be mentioned that Mason now has a dual American/Australian citizenship... He's decided to let us adopt him as one of our own and I think most Aussies are stoked to have him join the family whether they like his football or not... He's a genuinely nice bloke and that's pretty much all that Aussies care about.

[@janinea333]

He’s sounding more Aussie.

[@athlonen]

I'm an American who lived in Australia for a couple of years, and while everything said here is true, there's some missing context that makes Cox's story even bigger than what it is. Think about this: ANZAC (Australia/New Zealand Armed Corps) Day is the equivalent to our Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, and Veterans Day all rolled into one. It's a national holiday, and for the past 26 years, the game on ANZAC Day is always Collingwood vs. Essendon. It has arguably the second highest attendance of any game in the AFL Season (second only to the Grand Final). So there were already 90000 people if not more at the MCG that day, and Mason debuted in that game. In the AFL, it's a big thing when a new player plays their first game. It's a bigger thing when they kick their first goal (you se the teammates get around them). It's an even bigger thing (and rarer club to be in) if your first kick is for a goal. Mason Cox, in his first game ever, in his first possession of the football ever, kicked his first goal, and the first goal of the game, on ANZAC DAY, where you have the second highest attendance at a game. That's the equivalent of, say, Randy Moss or O'Dell Beckham making one of their catches for the first time ever, for a touchdown, in a game on Thanksgiving or Veterans day. That's why the commentators said "Can you believe that an American, in his first game, kicks the first goal on ANZAC Day? That didn't happen!" For that Preliminary final, it's like the NFC or AFC conference finals in the NFL: The winner goes to the Super Bowl, the loser plans for next season. That's what happened here. Winner goes to the Grand Final, loser is out. Richmond were the prior year's champions, and were favored to win this match (especially since they had over 20+ consecutive wins at those grounds). You saw what happened. If you get the chance, see if you can catch a match live. They air on FS1, FS2, FS3HD, or ESPN here in the US. Also, we do have an AFL Competition here in the US: the USAFL. Check www.usafl.com to see if there may be a team in your area, and you could see them playing live as well.

[@rhyssanders9122]

spot on matey

[@consciousbeing1188]

Nicely explained, mate.. I couldn't have put it better myself and this sport has been part of my life for over 50 years now. Do you follow or help promote the USAFL at home?... With your knowledge and experience of living with Aussie football culture you would make a great ambassador for your homegrown game which I understand is getting more and more popular every year. I hope I live long enough to one day see a professional game between our two countries... THAT would be a sporting event for the ages!! 👍🏻

[@athlonen]

@@consciousbeing1188 Both! Not only do I follow the USAFL, but I attend some of the matches as well. We're lucky to have a men's an women's side here (Sacramento Suns), and while we don't have any ovals here (cricket is non-existent here, and our closest oval for footy is in Vancouver, Canada) whenever they have any matches here, I'll get out to them. Also, I've been a member of AFANA (Australian Football Association of North America) since they started in the offseason between 1996 and 1997, when we lost coverage of footy here. At that time, we only had a 1-hour highlights show (featured match of the round, highlights from the other games that round) on a 1-week delay (to get the tape up here), which the channel for it canceled the contract. AFANA started, and we were able to get footy coverage back, which lead to Fox Sports picking up the coverage, leading us to having live matches here each week now.

[@consciousbeing1188]

@@athlonen - That's bloody awesome, mate... It sounds like our game left a lasting impression on you considering the short time you were here. Anyone who commits to getting a membership of any footy association or club is a devotee in anybody's language. Some blokes here have got a chip on their shoulder about other countries adopting our game but I personally think it's "fan"tastic and it's about time we started to get some good global exposure.. For a sport that's as old as it is it's a damn shame it's still largely unknown really. It's a good thing there's top blokes like yourself in the States who recognise it for what it is and doesn't crap on it just because it's not American. I would love to see the AFL play more professional exhibition games in the States to really boost our profile but I know the lack of adequate ovals/stadiums is the real killer in that regard. Anyway, I was really impressed by the way you explained the contextual enormity of Mason's debut game and his subsequent rise in the AFL... It stood out to me as someone who not only follows the game but is a true fan who understands footy culture as it exists here in Oz... That's a rarity and I'm sure there are a lot of Aussie Rules players and fans in the States who've never been here to experience our footy culture who envy you for having that experience and I'm sure you sing the praises of the game to anyone who'll listen. I truly hope to see the continued growth of the USAFL with genuine ambassadors like yourself there to keep it moving. Good onya, Cobber! 👍🏻

[@athlonen]

@@consciousbeing1188 Funnily enough, before Mason, our biggest ambassador to the game was Paul Roos. Yes, I know we had Ben Graham, Darren Bennett, and Sav Rocca playing in the NFL, but they came to the NFL, not represented the AFL. People don't realize that Roos' wife is from California, so during the off season after retiring from footy and coaching Sydney, he arranged exhibition matches here between Sydney and North Melbourne for Australia Day. From there, he helped to in bringing the USAFL together, then he got the job at Melbourne.

[@TheLaughingMagpie]

His Premiership Finals campaign was very good, holding his ruck matchups (like the jump in basketball with more physicality) accountable and keeping some of the best ruckmen (eg Max Gawn and Kieran Briggs) in check, Collingwood won their 3 Finals games by a combined margin of 12 points, 2 goals, and more often than not, games are won in the centre and the stoppage

[@glenwilliamson1117]

Now a Premiership player. Go Coxy. Go Pies!!!

[@angelaharris6677]

Im a pies supporter and Mason has played some exceptional football

[@alicehogg6056]

He is truely a underrated player

[@davidhines68]

FS1 and FS2 have had a lot of Pies games on this year, so I've had an opportunity to catch more of Coxy than previous years. He commands a wider variety of skills than I originally expected. I say this as not only as an American who didn't know footy before 2012, but also as a 210 cm guy who could never have done as well as Mason has. He's obviously going to have an advantage with contested marks, but his kicking accuracy is also impressive, and he's had a number of perfectly weighted handballs to assist in goals. Given the descriptions of his early handballs and kicking in this video, these are top achievements.

[@robertleeimages]

Just remember he was 23 yo when he first touched an Aussie rules ball and 24 when playing in the 2nd tier of the game and 25 when he made his debut at the highest level, most who grew up with the game would have first touched a footy by age 5 and would be playing U10's by age 8 learning and developing our craft as we progress through junior ranks where some of us might play senior level at our club while still young enough to be playing junior level U16's. And yet most of us don't ever make it to the big league, and now think of this, any 20 yr old starting this yr would have been 13 yo when Mason started and those kids back then most likely already had 6-7 yrs head start and that's how significant his career is

[@ozzieblink]

Mason Cox became an Australian citizen this year 2022.

[@stevesalkas9128]

Now 2023 premiership.player go mason go pies

[@jtcorran5758]

What an ace video! Mason just played an outstanding game against Melbourne on Queens Birthday in front of 76,000. 2022.

[@-sandman4605]

I can see you liked that MATE, the team Mason plays for is not my team BUT i love watching him play AFL FOOTBALL here in Australia and just to watch the BIG guy play and wish him all the best and success. He is the 2nd American to play AFL in Australia but the 1st to succeed. Cheers Mate 🤓👍🇦🇺

[@AcesKing704]

What do MATE means? 🤣🤣🤣 I hear it all the time but don’t know the meaning 🤣🤣

[@taipan1347]

@@AcesKing704 Mate....mate means friend. It can used nice or not G'day mate, all good...going to knock you out mate, not so good. Old mate, don't know the person name, but not important to the story. Hope that help 😂❤🤣

[@AcesKing704]

@@taipan1347 Thanks for letting me know MATE 🤣🤣

[@jeffreyflynn9106]

Maaaaaaate

[@-sandman4605]

@@jeffreyflynn9106 Maaaaaaaate. 🇦🇺

[@mollymuch2808]

A whole lot of guts and character

[@neilcampbell3212]

Mason is about to play his 100 th game. A great achievement.

[@robertcurtis1525]

And i think COLLINGWOOD are keeping him...because COX has made Collingwood WIN 2 Great Finals matches against all the odds...unfortunately not the Grand Final...But we still love him

[@AlanGresham]

Hehe

[@glenod]

and they just won the 2023 premiership and mason played.

[@edgarfnmeyer]

And now he's a champ!

[@lozzieelizadesigns05]

He has a podcast when he doesn’t play and so good, just such a cool guy, i mainly follow NRL (Melbourne Storm) but he just is so cool

[@adda58]

Keep an eye out @AcesKing704, Collingwood are the favourites for the AFL Flag this year. They must win against Greater Western Sydney (GWS) Giants Friday 9/22/23 02:50 LA time. The 'big dance' (what we call the AFL Grand Final) is on 9/30/23 at 09:30 PM LA time. Don't miss it! With some luck, Mason Cox will be there.

[@robertcurtis1525]

Loved your commentary mate

[@AngelaWalters-xr5wx]

He's still playing for Collingwood Magpies

[@TaliNonna]

Mason is now one of the best forwards in the game and I hope Brisbane Lions get a hold of him if Collingwood parts ways, If Collingwood parts ways. On ya Mason your a legend for kids on how not to give up.

[@Honkersification]

G'day mate. Nice reaction. You dunked it!

[@kelljA]

Best Aussie accent by an American ...

[@justinbranch1026]

Welcome to the best game in the world mate You guys will love our game

[@RobertLRudd]

Mason just became the first American to play 100 games of A.F.L.

[@andrewhall7704]

Now he has played over 100 games

[@ngrand7868]

Lot of doubt, made a real difference in the GF... but that game against Richmond in 2018 was remarkable... full marks to him and Collingwood to believe... 2024 the Pies 17th premiership.... Hot Pies!!! belter.

[@jeffreyflynn9106]

Now watch pat mcafee interview him it’s great

[@FOURTEEFIVE]

That was awesome

[@davidscott820]

Best football game in the world.

[@ramiromaia592]

You missed that last bit at end 😂

[@AcesKing704]

😲🤦🏽‍♂️

[@donaldthomson8965]

check this out Woman's international Grand Final - Canada vs Ireland played in melbourne aust

[@garrysalis4312]

Brian Lara's brother 🙄❓

[@iancameron5622]

He goes alright. People at the game when Mason is playing chant, "USA, USA, USA". It's great. Getting your debut on Anzac day is beyond massive. It's a statement from team management about your future. It's the US equivalent of Memorial day. It's a massive day in the AFL calendar. Monstrous. HUGH!, Gigantic. Read what athlonen said, will help.

[@peterwundersitz3715]

you sound more scottish than a scot; One scottish film had .....man,,,,oh man.....man,,,,,,oh mannie. You are just nearby.

[@JOHNACE12]

Does every second word have to be “man”?

[@noahmartin8956]

Man

[@Hcoop]

Who won the 2018 grand final? Oh yeah it was West Coast.

[@justinwinwood8197]

Nah, he's not a good AFL player, out of 50 games he only rocked up 5 times , should of been dropped

[@ungabunga88]

Nah I’m a pies supporter he’s currently having his most consistent and best season by a while. He’s really picked at up and got better in his older age. He was quite poor in 2017 19 20 21 tho

[@BillSaltbush]

@Justin Winwood . . . Had you 'rocked up' a little more often to your basic English classes, you might have been able to write and express yourself properly. Now go and stand in the corner and wear the stupid hat.

[@Ozgipsy]

Translation - quite average = crap.

[@andrewbird7364]

you realise this dude is an absolute joke here, its like an aussie who debuts for the lakers hits 1 good shot n then goes 30 games with an average of 0.001 ppg.. the dude is a goofy laughing stock here

[@willieB22]

How many AFL games have you played.

[@andrewbird7364]

@@willieB22 wow. About as dumb a response as it gets. So if I criticize a movie " HoW mAnY oScArS dO yOu hAvE" but hey I'll bite. Played footy since I was little, made the VAFA under 18 all Australian team, played 2 seasons for Frankston dolphins in the VFL n then quit cause I got one too many concussions.

[@tark1873]

@@andrewbird7364 "got one too many concussions." yeah mate dont worry, we can tell

[@andrewbird7364]

@@tark1873 cte is a real thing, i actually played the game...this is like saying steven bradbury was the michael jordan of speed skating..the fuck is wrong with you

[@willieB22]

@@andrewbird7364 I accept that my response was not properly articulated. I was trying to counter argue that Mason Cox is far from a "joke" or "goofy laughing stock" as you assert. The guy is no super star but has played 90 AFL games with 100 goals to his name.