Delisted Jason Holmes

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sammm said:
I would think it might be the Homes upgrade. first African American to do so, it is a big deal.
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Simple Jack said:
First American full stop iirc.

SEN just said he would be announced as in the senior team later today.
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He's neither. Sanford (Matthew) Wheeler played 43 games for the Swans between '89 and '94.

He's the first US-born AND raised player though, and unlike Wheeler who came to Australia when he was 5, he's come from a huge way back and made it.

I have nothing but immense respect for the big fella.
 
Daddy_Barrels said:
He's neither. Sanford (Matthew) Wheeler played 43 games for the Swans between '89 and '94.

He's the first US-born AND raised player though, and unlike Wheeler who came to Australia when he was 5, he's come from a huge way back and made it.

I have nothing but immense respect for the big fella.
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http://www.saints.com.au/news/2015-08-20/inside-jason-holmes-journey
Three years ago Jason Holmes had never heard of Australian football, let alone seen a game.

This Saturday night, he will make his AFL debut for St Kilda.

His journey is unique in the true sense of the word. Of the 12,387 players to have played VFL/AFL football since the competition’s inception in 1897, as of Saturday night, he will be the only one to have been born and raised in the United States of America.

Sanford Wheeler (Sydney) and Don Pyke (West Coast) were born there and a few dozen have close US links, but Holmes is as American as apple pie.................................
 
Inside Jason Holmes' journey

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2015-08-20/inside-jason-holmes-journey

Three years ago Jason Holmes had never heard of Australian football, let alone seen a game.

This Saturday night, he will make his AFL debut for St Kilda.

His journey is unique in the true sense of the word. Of the 12,387 players to have played VFL/AFL football since the competition’s inception in 1897, as of Saturday night, he will be the only one to have been born and raised in the United States of America.

Sanford Wheeler (Sydney) and Don Pyke (West Coast) were born there and a few dozen have close US links, but Holmes is as American as apple pie.....
 

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sammm said:
Inside Jason Holmes' journey

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2015-08-20/inside-jason-holmes-journey

Three years ago Jason Holmes had never heard of Australian football, let alone seen a game.

This Saturday night, he will make his AFL debut for St Kilda.

His journey is unique in the true sense of the word. Of the 12,387 players to have played VFL/AFL football since the competition’s inception in 1897, as of Saturday night, he will be the only one to have been born and raised in the United States of America.

Sanford Wheeler (Sydney) and Don Pyke (West Coast) were born there and a few dozen have close US links, but Holmes is as American as apple pie.....
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thats awesome...
hope he does well
 
Comments from his presser (via twitter):

I've always prepped myself for the possibility that it may not happen. I'm very excited.

I'm more competent up forward now and I have back up plans in the ruck. I've worked closely with my ruck coach.

I'm just really proud of being part of a sport that I want to grow internationally. It's an amazing sport.

I had no clue what AFL was. I got the call from a scout on April 1 so I thought it was a joke. Then I realised it was real.

My brother Andrew plays for the Oakland Raiders.

I was always excited for challenges as a kid. I played football, soccer, basketball and a lot of outdoor sports.

I could have been just 'another basketball player' but the idea that I could do something new and inspire people to be different was good.

I'm excited to do my job. At the end of the day, I just get to work on Saturday night.

I played against Matthew Dellavedova one day at college. I've followed his career closely since.

AFL is another level of competition. The role of the ruckman is to win the hit outs and that's what I want to do for my team.

Mike Pyke was an inspiration for me.

My main starting off was to play AFL footy. Once I started training here, I decided I wanted to be part of something special.

I want to play in a premiership one day.

Hickey is great on the ground and Billy is a great intercept mark and good with the hit outs.

AFL footballers are the fittest athletes in the world. To run 15km, strong, agile and skillful... I don't think anyone can just go & play.
 
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CALL ME SNAKE said:
watched him in a few VFL games last yr.
After seeing him kick the ball a few times I remember thinking to myself " This bloke will NEVER make it".
Very very happy if im proved wrong.
He is putting in a lot of hard work and learning quickly. Good on him:thumbsu:
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He still looks a bit lost around the ground and watches the play with a bit of hesitation but his leap and tap work is elite already. Billy Longer has pretty much been picked week after week on his tap work so He doesn't really need to do heaps around the ground if he gives us first use. His taps get rammed down the mids throats.
 
Watching his presser, very impressed.

Looks to be the perfect role model for the attitude required to succeed at a 'foreign' sport.

Well done, Jason.
 
krk004 said:
Watching his presser, very impressed.

Looks to be the perfect role model for the attitude required to succeed at a 'foreign' sport.

Well done, Jason.
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He definitely has the right attitude. I called he would make it after meeting him before he played a game. He's very professional and determined. I compared him to the NZ kids who look like its a fun adventure but it's more of an experience than a career. Jason is a student of the game and is absolutely going to give it a crack. If he doesn't make it it won't be a lack of effort or application. He would be doing everything needed to get it right and won't waste it.
 

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Congratulations, St Kilda fans. My fellow American, Holmesy, has arrived. Though I have an entirely purple heart, I'll be a Saints man for at least those three hours this Saturday night! For those of you who may not know, I'm a journo and I wrote a very long piece last January about him and the other American former basketballers for sbnation.com, a US website. I'm now working on a book on the subject, scheduled for publication next year in Australia. Holmesy's debut will be the basis of the book's first chapter!
 
GilG said:
Congratulations, St Kilda fans. My fellow American, Holmesy, has arrived. Though I have an entirely purple heart, I'll be a Saints man for at least those three hours this Saturday night! For those of you who may not know, I'm a journo and I wrote a very long piece last January about him and the other American former basketballers for sbnation.com, a US website. I'm now working on a book on the subject, scheduled for publication next year in Australia. Holmesy's debut will be the basis of the book's first chapter!
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Come and become a saints member mate!
 

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Delisted Jason Holmes

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