Johnston’s punt entered the Texans record books.Source: SuppliedJohnston isn’t the first Aussie punter to create waves in America after former Collingwood player Flynn Appleby delivered an impressive outing against college powerhouse Michigan.
Taking the snap and then sprinting forward while arcing out to his right to get more distance – which Americans have taken to calling an “Aussie rollout punt” – Appleby boomed a punt downfield which rolled and ended up travelling 75 yards, or three-quarters of the entire field, which is about 69 metres.
“Rutgers just pulled off one of the great Aussie rollout punts you’ll ever see on an American field. Just mesmerising,” college football writer and podcaster Alex Kirshner proclaimed on Twitter.
Former NFL punter turned media personality Pat McAfee quoted the video with a gif which summed up his feelings: “Dear God.”
The Aussies are taking over. John McCoy/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFPThe play of Australian punters has even taken Hollywood by storm with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson turning out to be one of the biggest fans of little-known Aussie Lou Hedley who has become one of the newest cult heroes in the NFL.
Hedley, a former scaffolder from Mandurah in Western Australia who ten years ago was playing fullback for the Peel Thunder reserves in the WAFL, has become the NFL’s newest Australian after being picked up as a punter for the New Orleans Saints.
Hedley first came to Johnson’s attention when he joined the University of Miami in 2019, wearing jersey No. 94 – Johnson, before beginning his acting career or pursuing wrestling, was a defensive tackle wearing No. 94 for the Hurricanes between 1990 and 1994.
“Love seeing this,” Johnson wrote on Twitter in response to news that Hedley had signed an NFL deal.
“Congrats brother. Hardest workers in the room.”
