A former AFL player from south-west WA will make the leap to US college football after accepting a scholarship to play for the University of Kansas.
Damon Greaves, 22, played 10 games for Hawthorn at the top level before leaving the sport and turning his attention to gridiron punting.
With the assistance of Prokick Australia, Greaves has been developing his lifelong AFL skills into something that would attract college scouts.
"I'm really excited," he said.
"It's a pretty incredible opportunity that I've got my hands here and I've never actually ever been to the US.
"I'm looking forward to getting over there and seeing what it's like and just enjoying the experience."
Greaves says US colleges are interested in young players who grew up kicking a football as opposed to those who grew up throwing a football.
"I think it's a very transferable skill," he said.
"The shape of the ball is very similar to an AFL ball … it's just natural to us.
"There's plenty of good American punters out there but there's a growing need for the Australians because they're starting to realise it's something we can do."
There are a handful of Australians making a name for themselves in the National Football League (NFL) at the moment with two Aussie players lined up for the Philadelphia Eagles in Monday's 2023 Superbowl: Jordan Mailata and Arryn Siposs.
To be able to watch players who came from a similar background make NFL history has been encouraging for Greaves.
"For someone like myself, who is just about to embark on a journey that's similar to one of them … it's really inspiring to see them doing what they're doing."
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is classified in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Bowl Subdivision and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference.
