Odds increase for an Aussie Giant in the NFL
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Aussie, Jy Bond, could be the latest punter from Down Under to take on the NFL following the retirement of 22 year veteran Jeff Feagles from the New York Giants last night.
Bond was expected to compete for the job with Feagles, but will now be left to fight it out with rookie Matt Dodge, who was selected as the Giants’ final pick in last week’s league draft.
When quizzed about Bond by the media, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin admitted to not knowing a whole lot about him but joked that: “I am his ‘mate’ now … but then again, so is everyone else.”
Despite the opportunity, Bond is all too aware how distant the dream remains having been cut by both the Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins after previous preseason tryouts.
Son of former Richmond Tiger, Graeme Bond, Jy is one of six Australian’s hoping to secure an NFL contract this off-season. If successful, he’ll join countrymen Sav Rocca (Philadelphia Eagles), Ben Graham (Arizona Cardinals) and Mat McBriar (Dallas Cowboys) as starters in the NFL.
Also flying the flag for Australia at upcoming pre-season camps will be Chris Bryan, who will compete for the job at Green Bay, and David King (not the one of North Melbourne fame) with the New England Patriots.
This current crop are treading a trail blazed Darren Bennett, who forged an eleven year career with the San Diego Chargers and Minnesota Vikings after switching from Aussie Rules, and before him by Colin Ridgeway, who played three games for the Dallas Cowboys in 1965.
To date the only Australian non-punter to play in the NFL is Colin Scotts, a defensive-tackle and former Australian schoolboy’s rugby representative who was drafted from the University of Hawaii by the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Crowd Says (4) | Page 1 of Comments
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May 1st 2010 @ 9:50am
Lazlo said | May 1st 2010 @ 9:50am | Report comment
In his 22-year career the stats people worked out that Jeff punted the ball over 40 miles.
A great kicker but nobody’s yet touched Ray Guy. In a 13-year career with the Raiders he put the ball so deep and placed it so well that, in combination with an excellent defense, nobody ever ran the ball back for a TD. Rugby kickers could do worse than copy his technique – a fore and aft leg drive through the ball and with a fully extended leg finishing extremely high.
Of all the Oz/Kiwi rugby players the guy the NFL scouts were most interested in was – you guessed it – Jonah. What a tight end he would have made. At 6 feet 6, nobody in the NFL
ever ran as fast or with as much power as Jonah did.
May 3rd 2010 @ 4:37pm
mushi said | May 3rd 2010 @ 4:37pm | Report comment
Vernon Davis faster and the “right” kind of speed
May 1st 2010 @ 11:41am
Gazza said | May 1st 2010 @ 11:41am | Report comment
Can’t find the story but David King (not AFL player ) but suburban Australian Rules footballer may have a NFL contract as well.
May 12th 2010 @ 2:04pm
simonjzw said | May 12th 2010 @ 2:04pm | Report comment
Surely it can’t be too long before we see a conversion specialist from Rugby Union or League have a crack at the field goal kicking position?
I’m sure Hazem El Mazri could do the job.