World Footy News

The cold hard statistics lie sometimes. Other times they don’t. For Collingwood’s big Texan, Mason Cox, they tell an amazing story. On his AFL debut, on arguably the second biggest stage behind the AFL Grand Final, Cox played an admirable game. The stats say: 10 possessions (six kicks, four handpasses), 3 marks, 3 tackles, 11 hitouts 1 goal and 1 behind. Incredible given how short a time he has had in the Australian game.

Where the stats do lie is in his impact beyond the stats. He kicked the opening goal of the match for Collingwood – the goal that opened the floodgates as the ‘Pies rampaged to a 69 point win over the Bombers. The celebration by Collingwood players (and supporters) after that goal showed such elation that it boosted their collective confidence immediately. They went on to win the ANZAC Day match 22 10 142 to 11 7 73 in front of 85 000 fans.
Two of those fans were his parents, all the way from Dallas, Texas, to see their son’s wonderful debut. Many more were rabid Collingwood fans seeing a new cult hero emerge. The rest were frazzled Essendon fans forced to bemoan Cox’s performance and send out an SOS for their own American reinforcements.

Even when the game was over, Mason Cox still managed centre stage with an after match on-field interview – his day just couldn’t have been better.

Jason Holmes has carried the torch for successful American recruits in his own special time at St Kilda. But today he may just have handed the flame over to Cox. And what a wonderful advertisement for footy in the United States – something that can possibly be used to greater advantage by promoters and recruiters alike to say that there is a place for American recruits on the big AFL stage.

A more detailed examination of Cox’s impact makes for impressive additional reading. On top of the standard stats, Cox had three “one-percenters” – tap-ons to advantage when acting as a 211cm rover. He won a clearance, a hugely valued stat at all clubs, and his disposal efficiency was an impressive 80%.

Collingwood will enjoy today’s win, as will their fans. But there will not be a bigger, or prouder, grin than that on Mason Cox’s face than when his mum and dad hug him and say, “Well played, son.”