ICE HOCKEY FAN REACTS: Mason Cox "Don't Believe In Never" AFL

[@kennethdodemaide8678]

Mason is now an Australian citizen and his Aussie accent is even more pronounced.

[@jessovenden]

Is he a citizen now? That’s really nice.

[@kennethdodemaide8678]

@@jessovenden Yes he is. He is an asset to Australia and his parents are very proud of him. They are really nice people.

[@jessovenden]

@@kennethdodemaide8678 I saw his parents on tv at a game or two and they just seemed very nice indeed. It’s a rather charming immigration story, even without the wonderful success of Mason himself. I’m not a Pies fan, so I’m genuinely touched by the life so far of Mason Cox. Not biased!

[@bramba1953]

Won a premiership in 2023 in one of the greatest games ever played with 12 lead changes during the game first half offensive with second half defensive please watch and enjoy.

[@jemxs]

It really is a fantastic story. He is still playing and doing well. At 33 he would be considered quite old, but starting late means he hasn't destroyed his body as much as others by this time. He is always exciting to watch. He plays with goggles now to protect his eyes...looks weird but who could blame him after six surgeries! When they showed him dominating in the Preliminary Final they showed a couple in the crowd with the man taking a photo, that was his parents who had flown out to watch!

[@clintonsmith9178]

There was a Canadian rugby player who played for the national team, Mike Pyke, who played in the AFL for the Sydney Swans. He won a Premiership in 2012. Could've win the MVP of the game. Another great story. Keep up the great work champ!

[@athlonen]

I'm an American who lived in Australia for a couple of years, so I'll also share a bit of insight into this. First off is Mason's first game on ANZAC Day. ANZAC (Australia New Zealand Armed Corps) Day is the equivalent of our Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, and Veteran's Day, all rolled into one. They use it to celebrate their veterans and those lost in the wars that they participated in. For the past 29 years, that game has always been in round 5 of the AFL season, and is always between Collingwood and Essendon. It is arguably the 2nd highest attended game of the season (second only to the Grand Final). It is safe to say that the entire country stops for this game, to the point of they even will take the day off of work for this game. Mason Cox debuted in this game, as you saw. It is a big thing for a player to debut in a game. It is an even bigger thing when that new player kicks and celebrates their first goal. It is an even bigger thing (read: in VERY RARE COMPANY) when a player's first kick of the ball is for a goal. Mason Cox, in his first game ever, in his first possession ever, with his first kick ever, kicks his first goal ever, ON ANZAC DAY, the 2nd biggest game of the year. This would be the equivalent of say, Randy Moss making one of his catches, or O'Dell Beckham making that 1-handed catch, for a touchdown, for his first game, on Veteran's Day. To put it into hockey perspective, it's the equivalent of Wayne Gretzky's first hit of the hockey puck was for a goal in his first game ever. That is why the commentators said "Can you believe that an American, in his first game, kicks the first goal, on ANZAC Day? That didn't just happen!!" And it did. Fast forward to that preliminary final. Consider the Preliminary finals to be like the Conference playoffs in the NFL. Winner of the AFC championship and NFC championship game goes to the Super Bowl, and the loser plans for next year. This is what happened here. Richmond were the reigning Premiers, had a 22-consecutive game winning streak at the MCG, and were favorites to not only win this game, but win the premiership again. They also had beat Collingwood the last 2 times they played them earlier that year. That is why the commentator stated "this could be the biggest game that Mason Cox never gets a kick in." You saw the result.

[@B-tr9kz]

I'm sorry but I laughed when you said the entire country stops for this game. I'm guessing you're from Melbourne. Trust me, most people in NSW and QLD (55% of the county) couldn't give a shit about Collingwood and Essendon or the AFL itself.

[@jemxs]

Wow great breakdown for someone who was not a native with this game!

[@B-tr9kz]

@@bjbolger I watched because I enjoy the guys content. Nothing against AFL as a sport but I just thought it was a fairly funny comment as it’s completely inaccurate. For the AFL ANZAC Day game. 20,000 people in Sydney watched it and 28,000 in Brisbane. The two states have approximately 14 million people. That's far from stopping the country lol. Being serious though, if you really think the country stops for a game between two Victorian clubs, then you my friend are delusional. State of Origin and both Grand Finals gets double the TV ratings. The Matilda’s game last year is the closest thing we have had to stopping the county.

[@B-tr9kz]

@@bjbolger Also no plans to ever sign up as an AFL member lol

[@EamonnReacts]

Awesome stuff

[@Roddrummer]

Played in that Grand Final in '18 (which is one of the best ever BTW, make sure you check out the highlights of that one), which is amazing, but playing in a premiership makes him one of the great AFL stories of all time, in my opinion...

[@MAKelly2121]

Best individual player highlight videos to watch are Eddie Betts and Nic Naitanui. By the way, a former Canadian rugby player by the name of Mike Pike, switched codes and won a premiership with the Sydney Swans in 2012

[@JacquelineScholes-oq1rn]

He ended up winning grand final last year

[@Claire-cc7lb]

He’s now a premiership winner. Las year the pies won the grand final

[@shmick6079]

One thing they don’t mention is that Cox was a good junior soccer player. That helped him with his kicking development.

[@EamonnReacts]

Ah ok that helps explain things better. It was weird how they sort of made it seem like he had 0 sporting experience.

[@shmick6079]

@@EamonnReacts I guess they were just highlighting that he wasn’t really much of a sportsperson in college.

[@curtismateljan9273]

A good one to watch that relates to this video are the highlights to the 2018 Grand Final which was a week after the final he dominated in this video. Considered one of the best games of all time.

[@Aka_daka]

I don't like Mason Cox for obvious reasons what he did do us in a Prelim argubaly stopped our 4-peat. But he seems like a nice bloke all things considered.

[@jayweb51]

Prior to Mason Cox playing AFL, Andrew McGrath was born in Canada to Australian parents; who in 2017 played AFL for the Essendon Football Club, he was born in Mississauga, Ontario in 1998.

[@jayweb51]

The VFL is the state league in Victoria. Similar leagues were in other states and territories. The state leagus and associations are the 'feeder' leagues for the AFL Clubs, through the draft system.

[@debkendall]

He played in the 2023 Grand Final Collingwood vs Brisbane - Collingwood won - has a podcast

[@jgphantom6]

if you ever feel like a much longer video reaction I would highly recommend the documentary titled: Every Heart Beats True: Melbourne Demons Documentary I'm not a dees fan or anything but it was a really great moment for them back in 2021 and it has a heap of rich history on one of the longest Premiership droughts in our games history! a really good watch

[@Mirrorgirl492]

Enjoyed your reaction. Plenty of great highlight reels available. Go with Eddie Betts, Dusty Martin, Nick Daicos.

[@gamortie]

All the states have feeder competitions to the national level - similar to the baseball minor leagues

[@macman1469]

2018 West Coast .

[@pamlister452]

He has become a great player and as a supporter of the team he plays for so gratefull he came

[@pamlister452]

Nope still Texan but getting there

[@davidhandson2429]

Don Pyke was a Canadian not an American

[@emceen8566]

Don Pyke was American. Mike Pyke (no relation) was Canadian.

[@themoviehobbit355]

Find it strange that you are watching a video of an American and not an actual Aussie but up to you 👌 Good video

[@EamonnReacts]

Just had a bunch of people telling me to check out his story. I guess because I'm North American or something. Will be checking out pretty much all the big names, highlights, etc as we go though so no worries.

[@Mirrorgirl492]

Mason is now an Aussie, and his story is one of the most inspiring in the game. Get off ya high horse. This man will be reacting to lots of AFL.