World Footy News

In 2015 it was the debut of Jason Holmes and now the second full graduate of the AFL's US Combines looks set to debut in the AFL for Collingwood. After Mason Cox attended the 2014 AFL Combine in Los Angeles the AFL couldn't rush him out here quick enough where he auditioned for a number of clubs and settled on Collingwood as his choice of club.

Today Collingwood upgraded him to the senior list for the injured Matt Scharenberg.  And tonight they have named him on an extended interchange bench for the match against Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.  There is no guarantee he will play in the final 22 and could have another week in the VFL.

The match will not be shown in the US on TV but it can be streamed via www.Watchafl.afl.com.au

 Cox is big. 211.4cm big.  He will be the tallest player ever to play in the AFL.  That height comes in handy in the ruck, and it has also seen him do pretty well in marking contests up forward too.  He played in 20 VFL matches for Collingwood (19 last season) and was a regular goal kicker.  He played in two NAB Challenge matches for Collingwood in the pre-season kicking two goals against Geelong.   By the way those VFL and NAB Challenge matches are the only games of Aussie rules he has ever played. 

Collingwood's General Manager, List Management Derek Hine last year foretold the future as it looks to be playing out for Cox “At 211.4 centimetres, your first thought is Mason would be slated for a role in the ruck, but given his athletic scope he could potentially become a key forward in his own right.”

Before being invited to the AFL Combine in the US Cox was a college basketballer. He had an unorthodox path to elite college basketball, recruited as a walk-on member of OSU’s basketball program despite having never played the sport at any competitive level.

The Texan native instead was acquainted with a round ball of a different variety, featuring as a goalkeeper for his high school and as a member of Major League Soccer side FC Dallas’ youth program.

Dedicated to his academic pursuits, Cox was nearly two years into a degree majoring in mechanical engineering when he was invited to join OSU’s Big 12 roster after drawing the attention of coaching staff while assisting the college women’s team.

Cox would ultimately spend three seasons on OSU’s roster, including the 2014 NCAA Tournament, and earned selection as a first team Academic All-Big 12 during his junior season in 2012/13.

Last year when he ran out in the VFL knowing his countryman Holmes was debuting that night it seemed to give him the extra spring in his step that saw him end up with 5 goals against Richmond at Victoria Park. 

VFL coach Dale Tapping described Cox's game as “exciting”. “To kick five goals in any game of footy is a really good effort,” Tapping told Collingwood Media post game.  “But particularly when you’re new to the game and you’re 210 centimetres, it’s pretty exciting.”

A second AFL debutant of impressive physical ability is a convincing argument for the US AFL Combines and those such as David Matthews and Kevin Sheehan that saw that the potential of American athletes could be harnessed to transition to Australia's game.

The squad will be narrowed to 22 tomorrow afternoon Melbourne time.

Collingwood
B: Ben Sinclair, Nathan Brown, Tom Langdon
HB: Tyson Goldsack, Ben Reid, Alan Toovey
C: Adam Oxley, Adam Treloar, Steele Sidebottom
HF: Travis Varcoe, Darcy Moore, Jordan De Goey
F: Alex Fasolo, Travis Cloke, Jeremy Howe
Foll: Brodie Grundy, Scott Pendlebury, Taylor Adams
Int (from): Brent Macaffer, Jarryd Blair, James Aish, Levi Greenwood, Jack Crisp, Matthew Goodyear, Mason Cox

IN: Mason Cox, Brent Macaffer, Steele Sidebottom, Alan Toovey, Travis Varcoe
OUT: Brayden Maynard (hamstring), Marley Williams (foot)
NEW: Mason Cox (25, Oklahoma State University)