How hard was that, uh, that transition for you?

That was probably the hardest bit, is to keep your mind relaxed through maybe an hour or two of not having, you know, any time on the field.

And it was a big learning curve, and it took me probably a good eight to nine weeks where, you know, I had to really find what really worked best for me, and that was being on the sideline, mental reps, also reps into the net, you know, figuring all that out.

You know, there were games where I thought, "You know, I'm just gonna go with the flow and get excited," you know, when, you know, the defense or the offense, you know, do really well.

And I just found that was pretty much my worst game.

When I'm there cheering on those guys, it was my worst game that I had punting-wise, because my emotional state was up and down, up and down with the play of what was happening as opposed to really just learning and just focusing on what I had to do on the sideline to make sure that every punt was the best for me.

So yeah, whether I was punting once or twice, people think, "Well, you didn't have a really big day today.

How much did you have to learn about holding and the operation time and the specialist rhythm to keep that job?

Claim it.

No, I, I won't ever claim that part of it because I'm pr- I pretty much got over there because those guys ventured in, so...

And I knew what I could do as well as those guys, so I thought I'd give it a go.

But once I retired here, I literally got on a plane.

I had my son's first birthday.

I retired on the Saturday, my son's first birthday on the Sunday.

On the Monday, I was on a plane to have a tryout with the Buffalo Bills on the Thursday.

But Sav, talk to us about what you're doing personally in terms of trying to coach these, these athletes that wanna go over and have a crack.

It feels like a Super Bowl, doesn't it, even though it's the first game of the season?

Well, pretty much this is going to be hyped up as a Super Bowl for us because...

You know, it's the first, it's history, and, you know, it's going to be exciting.

It's Christmas Day for me.

So tactically, sort of how will today pan out in your eyes?

Um, tactically, I'm not too much across what they do, but I know that the 49ers have had some injury concerns throughout the offseason.

They've had a lot of injuries.

So I think that'll play into today.

yeah so to take us take us inside the cauldron today you could kick a footy unlike anyone we've ever seen famous for it it's an unbelievable skill the the moment from the snap to the ball in your hand what what's going through your mind as you're about to lay into it

You're pretty much just going through audibles that you know allow you to pump well.

You know, for me, it was relaxed, because if I got too excited, then I overstrode in my steps and I got very long, which you can't really do.

So that was one of them, and a smooth ball drop was the other.

But that...

You know, from the snap to you and then you only have 1.3 seconds to get it off was the most intense moment.

So is it like a

What was it that you were concentrating on as you put that on the boot?

And when you made the transition, what was the hardest part? Was it picking up the rules or was there something else of the game that you found as an AFL player really difficult to grasp?

Well, because I had to go over there and just kick, that part of it I understood.

But it was in meetings when they're talking about, like I was a punter, but when they're talking about the PP and the personal protector and the guard and the tackle and the slot and all that sort of stuff, that I had to grasp and get used to where all those guys had to run and do.

But in the end...

If I just focused on myself, catching the ball, moulding, kicking it, that's all I had to do.

If I did that well, everything else was good.

Are you surprised since the time that you've finished now how big American football has become, particularly in Victoria?

I had an inkling that it was going to grow.

And what was it, when you made the transition, what was the hardest part? Was it picking up the rules or was there something else of the game that you found as an AFL player really difficult to grasp?

Well, because I had to go over there and just kick, that part of it I understood.

But it was in meetings when they're talking about, like I was a punter, but when they're talking about the PP and the personal protector and the guard and the tackle and the slot and all that sort of stuff, that I had to grasp and get used to where all those guys had to run and do.

But in the end...

If I just focused on myself, catching the ball, moulding, kicking it, that's all I had to do.

If I did that well, everything else was good.

Are you surprised since the time that you've finished now how big American football has become, particularly in Victoria?

I had an inkling that it was going to grow.

How were you actually recruited? How did you transition from footy to NFL? How did it all happen?

So I decided mid-year of my last year at playing AFL that I was going to go over.

So I started training here and then I was able to get a tryout over there.

But it didn't quite go ahead.

So then I got some training with Darren Bennett.

Went over there, spent a couple of weeks, sent out emails to all the teams, got no responses.

And literally like two days before I was supposed to come home and give it all away, I reached out to Ben and he said, why don't you call my agent and see if she can help you out.

Yeah,

A couple of guys had done it, but h- how do you, how do you go from finishing an AFL career to bang, into the big time of the NFL?

I mean, it took, it took a little while.

So getting over there, it wasn't easy.

Um, and then, like, we were almost literally due to come home and then made contact, you know, help, a little bit of help with Ben Graham and his manager.

And then literally, like, two days before we were supposed to come home, she said, "If you can get your ass down to, to Philly, we will, you know, have a look at you." And I did that, and they said, "We'd love to, to join you on for a futures contract."

Do they hang out much together, or is it very compartmentalized?

In the NFL team you have a lot of small groups.

Um, you know, wide receivers all hang out together.

A couple of guys had done it, but h- how do you, how do you go from finishing an AFL career to bang, into the big time of the NFL?

I mean, it took, it took a little while.

So getting over there, it wasn't easy.

Um, and then, like, we were almost literally due to come home and then made contact, you know, help, a little bit of help with Ben Graham and his manager.

And then literally, like, two days before we were supposed to come home, she said, "If you can get your ass down to, to Philly, we will, you know, have a look at you." And I did that, and they said, "We'd love to, to join you on for a futures contract."

But how were you seen? Was it all a, a bit of an adventure? Were you well-liked by your teammates over there?

I think I was.

And, and they're, they're inclined that if you can do the job, you're, you, you know, you're in.

How were you actually recruited? How did you transition from footy to NFL? How did it all happen?

So I decided mid-year of my last year at playing AFL that I was going to go over.

So I started training here and then I was able to get a tryout over there.

But it didn't quite go ahead.

So then I got some training with Darren Bennett.

Went over there, spent a couple of weeks, sent out emails to all the teams, got no responses.

And literally like two days before I was supposed to come home and give it all away, I reached out to Ben and he said, why don't you call my agent and see if she can help you out.

Yeah,

Something should come back to set.

I wish, but no, it doesn't work that way.

Darren and myself are just actually working to get guys over there, which is great for us because we had a ball of a time when we were over there.

Darren obviously is still there, but we just had so much fun that we just want to put it into other kids.

And even though a lot of the kids that we're doing now are going through college system, They come back in June and July for four or five weeks, and they said they're having the time of their lives, and it's just awesome for them to be able to achieve that.

How do you identify someone you think is going to be a really good punter? What do they need to have?

Initially, they need to have a strong leg, obviously.

And to be able to translate power into two steps is really important.

What was the other game, mate?

Uh, '98.

Uh, I think I had one where I might've kicked seven.

So were they both retrospective or was one given out on the day? And if they were, did they send you out a medal or have they stiffed you?

No, the, m- both of them...

Like, I was in, in the States and I came back, and that's when they started giving out the medals.

So I was given...

I was going to be given two on that day because they were retrospective, and then they forgot to get someone else's medal that they were given, so they gave that, my second one to someone.

... should come back to Sav.

Yeah.

I wish, but no, it doesn't work that way.

We just...

You know, Darren and myself are just actually working to get guys over there, which is great for us because we had a ball of a time when we're over there.

Darren obviously still there, but, um, you know, you know, we just had so much fun that we just wanna put it into other kids.

And even though a lot of the kids that we're doing now are going through college system, you know, they come back in June and July, you know, for four or five weeks, and they said they're having the time of their lives.

Yeah.

Do, do the NFL have a similar game to an Anzac Day?

Uh, they do have a military round where they, um, you know, pay tribute to people in the military.

Um, and it's a great round.

But they also do that, they get people in the military...

If, if someone's come home in that state, you know, at the Eagles and they've provided great service, they get them out there before every game just to-

Bloody oath.

Yeah, it was a lot of pressure going over and, and, uh, you know, trying to get, and trying to start something new in my life.

'Cause, you know, obviously I'd retired from AFL and wasn't quite sure.

... do, do the NFL have a similar game to an Anzac Day?

Uh, they do have a military round where they, um, you know, pay tribute to people in the military.

Um, and it's a great round.

But they also do that, they get people in the military...

If, if someone's come home in that state, you know, at the Eagles and they've provided great service, they get them out there before every game just to-

Bloody-o.

Yeah, it was a lot of pressure going over and, and, uh, you know, trying to get, and trying to start something new in my life.

'Cause, you know, obviously I'd retired from AFL and wasn't quite sure.

[laughs] H- how proud of, uh, of that achievement are you, Sav, when you line it up alongside what was a... an, I'd say an all-time great AFL career? Bloody oath.

Yeah, it was a lot of pressure going over and, and, uh, you know, trying to get... and trying to start something new in my life because, you know, obviously I'd retired from AFL and wasn't quite sure.

So heading over there, um, and taking a risk, you know, leaving family at home for a couple of months was, was quite challenging.

And looking back at it now, I'm, I'm very proud of what I did and, and, you know, grateful that I got the opportunity to be able to do that.

Are you excited? You pumped? You're gonna be there?

there?Yeah, well, I'm in discussions at the moment with the Eagles.

So the Eagles are gonna do like a, a bit of a, a tailgate fan appreciation that, you know, get the fans involved.

The Eagles and the Rams are the only two teams that have, um, the legal rights to promote their brand in Australia.