Texan native Mason Cox dominates Aussie Rules final

[TankAbbott4Eva]

This prick dominated my team last night in the preliminary final (winner goes through to grand final), check his highlights, set a record for contested marks (catches). Guy is kind of one dimensional but when he gets room no one is out marking the dude.



He's a former college basketballer I believe, it's a good background for our game (particularly if you're tall), he's learnt to kick straight though. But yeah fuck him, was hell being in the stands hearing the opposition supporters chanting fucking "USA! USA! USA!"

 

[Pliny Pete]

I wish they showed more Aussie Rules on tv here
Its a great game

 

[Rimbaud82]

smh richmond absolutely bottling it in the finals

 

[Fluffernutter]

Go West Coast

 

[lts5025]

This kid is like a C level basketball player. Imagine what LeBron would do.

 

[Rimbaud82]

This kid is like a C level basketball player. Imagine what LeBron would do.

He had a good game...he's a decent player who is pretty one-dimensional (although improving, as you would expect from someone relatively new to the sport). But he's not even remotely close to being one of the best players in the comp. His main advantage is his size. LeBron would be great, but he would be great no matter what sport he played, he's a freak of nature. Plenty of great athletes in the AFL though.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

This kid is like a C level basketball player. Imagine what LeBron would do.

Lebron would be fucking incredible ha ha, if he could learn to kick of course. The AFL is signed to the WADA code though...

smh richmond absolutely bottling it in the finals

It was pretty fucked, sure we have last years premierships but losing to Collingwood like that in a final when we were heavy favourites, fuck me.

 

[lts5025]

He had a good game...he's a decent player who is pretty one-dimensional (although improving, as you would expect from someone relatively new to the sport). But he's not even remotely close to being one of the best players in the comp. His main advantage is his size. LeBron would be great, but he would be great no matter what sport he played, he's a freak of nature. Plenty of great athletes in the AFL though.

I know next to nothing about AFL, but just from viewing this clip alone, height seems to be a huge advantage. Do you think teams will start recruiting more basketball players?

 

[Rimbaud82]

I know next to nothing about AFL, but just from viewing this clip alone, height seems to be a huge advantage. Do you think teams will start recruiting more basketball players?

Height is a big advantage at certain positions, especially ruckman (where cox plays) who are kind of like basketball centres. Being able to take a contested mark (a catch which gives your team a free kick) is a key part of the game, of course height is an advantage (as is vertical). But players come in all shapes and sizes, and it's not the end all and be all. Skill is most important, which is why you don't get someone like Cox playing more skilled positions.

But for sure, teams are gonna be attracted to 'project players' if they are tall and have a lot of length. Similar to in NBA I suppose. Cox is actually tied for the tallest player ever (he's 6"11). On the basis of population size I would say it is pretty likely that teams are gonna look to target more players who couldn't make the NBA for example. I did see this article a few years back - https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/...t-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

I mean there are just obviously going to be more tall people in AFL and the tiny NBA rosters means there is always gonna be leftovers. The vast majority won't ever be good enough for the AFL, but if you get a player like Cox you'd be happy. Ultimately though, any aussie I have ever spoken to about international development they all say the same thing, if they had to pick between targeting Irish talent (where the AFL has been scouting and taking talent from for decades) or trying to 'crack' into the american market they would pick the Irish every time. That's because our sport here, gaelic football, shares a lot of the same skills as aussie rules. So from an early age they have skills development which means that they are much more suited to playing in the AFL.

 

[Rimbaud82]

Lebron would be fucking incredible ha ha, if he could learn to kick of course. The AFL is signed to the WADA code though...

Sure yis have got buddy franklin.

It was pretty fucked, sure we have last years premierships but losing to Collingwood like that in a final when we were heavy favourites, fuck me.

I have no particular team I support (just whenever a team with Irish lads is playing), but I couldn't believe what I was watching lol.

 

[Rimbaud82]

I wish they showed more Aussie Rules on tv here
Its a great game

You can get an overseas pass on watchafl, I used to subscribe to it until I had to save money.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

Sure yis have got buddy franklin.



I have no particular team I support (just whenever a team with Irish lads is playing), but I couldn't believe what I was watching lol.

Ha ha, Buddy mainly likes the white powder I believe. I’m sure there’s a lot who take PEDs but not many get caught (unless you play for Essendon lol)

The Irish boys are always good, they sure know how to kick well. Even Mason Cox has learnt that well, not sure why Aussies can’t keep it simple like he does. Cox can’t kick far but he doesn’t miss too often from less than 30 our.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

I know next to nothing about AFL, but just from viewing this clip alone, height seems to be a huge advantage. Do you think teams will start recruiting more basketball players?

Height helps but mobility is required as well along with cardio, there’s a lot of running in our game. It’s more physical than basketball but if they can handle that it’s tailor made for basketballers.

They’ve been recruiting basketballers for a long time now, even most of the Aussies have played at some point. I reckon Cox would be on around 200-300k usd a year, so guys aren’t going to be switching from NBA just yet but guys who have a solid college career in the US and don’t get drafted or go to Europe do get targeted.

 

[IndyCovaHart]

There’s always porn if things don’t work out.

 

[Rimbaud82]

Ha ha, Buddy mainly likes the white powder I believe. I’m sure there’s a lot who take PEDs but not many get caught (unless you play for Essendon lol)

The Irish boys are always good, they sure know how to kick well. Even Mason Cox has learnt that well, not sure why Aussies can’t keep it simple like he does. Cox can’t kick far but he doesn’t miss too often from less than 30 our.

Oh nah I wasn't saying buddy takes peds, just that he is a big powerhouse like lebron.

 

[Rimbaud82]

Height helps but mobility is required as well along with cardio, there’s a lot of running in our game. It’s more physical than basketball but if they can handle that it’s tailor made for basketballers.

They’ve been recruiting basketballers for a long time now, even most of the Aussies have played at some point. I reckon Cox would be on around 200-300k usd a year, so guys aren’t going to be switching from NBA just yet but guys who have a solid college career in the US and don’t get drafted or go to Europe do get targeted.

Christian Petracca grew up playing bball with Simmons, Exum etc. didn't he?

 

[Rimbaud82]

It's an interesting crossover with basketball actually, you get a lot of gaelic footballers over here playing as well. Though to a lesser extent, since its not nearly as popular. But some of the top guys do.

 

[TankAbbott4Eva]

Oh nah I wasn't saying buddy takes peds, just that he is a big powerhouse like lebron.

He is, but their physiques are far far different.

Christian Petracca grew up playing bball with Simmons, Exum etc. didn't he?

Correct, and Pendlebury didn’t take up an Institute of Sport scholarship for basketball to get drafted. And who ended up with that scholarship? Patty Mills!

 

[Rimbaud82]

He is, but their physiques are far far different.

Of course, buddy is a lot leaner. You cant be built like LeBron in afl with all the running...and aye maybe they arent quite as 'enthusiastic' with their testing lol

 

[Rjay]

I can't see Cox having much of an impact this week though. He had a very quiet game against the Eagles last time, and they'll be watching him this week. Tigers gave him a massive amount of space to lead into, I think they were complacent given his string of poor performances. Not anticipating such a big impact Saturday.

As for these former basketball players in general you don't see too many of them, you gotta find guys that tall who were not athletic enough to make it in basketball, but have a base level of athleticism to survive in Australian Rules and are able to pick up the skills. Because of their position and height they only need a fraction of the athletic qualities of regular players, but trying to find someone who can do the job isn't simple. There's been a few US basketball imports but Cox is the only one to have any success, all the others washed out after a few games.

dominated my team last night in the preliminary final

Still don't know how that happened. Thrashed by Collingwood? At home? wtf