Australian NFL legend Ben Graham has issued a cross-code callout after Gold Coast Sun Patrick Murtagh takes on NFL challenge

The same system that put rugby league player Jordan Mailata on the path to signing a monster $88m NFL deal has now unearthed another Aussie that could shake up the game in the US. Meet the hulking star.

One of Australia’s finest cross-code stars has cast the net far and wide in his NFL recruitment drive, urging more athletes pushing for elite selection to pursue the heights of American football.

As former Gold Coast Suns defender Patrick Murtagh prepares to head to Florida in January, eight-year NFL veteran Ben Graham has called on others whose careers have stalled to enter the growing pathways on offer.

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The 49-year-old enjoyed fruitful stints as a punter with the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions on the back of a 219-game career with the Geelong Cats — becoming the first Australian to feature in a Super Bowl.

Shortly after his delisting at the Suns, Murtagh was selected in the NFL’s international Player Pathway program, after impressing at an October combine in England.

Former Gold Coast Sun Patrick Murtagh. Picture: Jerad Williams

Should the 22-year-old make an impact at a scouting opportunity in March, he could soon follow in the footsteps of Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata — who reaped the rewards of the pathway following his time in the South Sydney Rabbitohs under-20s.

Mailata was re-signed by the Eagles on the eve of the 2021 season on a huge $88m (AUD) deal.

And at a junior NFL Flag Championship Tournament on the Gold Coast raising awareness of American football’s Australian pathways, Graham declared others on the periphery of rival codes could become future faces of the game.

“Not everybody is cut out for every sport. There are a lot of great athletes in the AFL that may have had an NFL career if they hadn’t of had an AFL career,” Graham said.

“Patty hasn’t been able to forge his AFL career, but now he’s got an opportunity through the pathway to put his skills on show and potentially get picked up by an NFL team as more of a project player.

“He has some work ahead of him, he heads to Florida in January, to embark on that journey and I can only wish him all the best.”

Should Murtagh ultimately be selected for allocation to an NFL practice squad or sign as a free agent for next season, he would join an elite calibre to reach the upper echelon

Graham is joined by the likes of Darren Bennett (78 AFL games, 11 years in the NFL) and

Sav Rocca (15 years in AFL, three seasons in NFL) to have successfully made the transition.

However throughout the past decade a trend has been growing of AFL hopefuls who never quite cemented themselves with the Sherrin taking the bold steps to the States, most recently three-time Fremantle Docker Max Duffy, who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Maulers in March this year.

Patrick Murtagh, NFL Australia // International Player Pathway. Photo NFL Australia

For Graham, blessed with an eye-catching torpedo kick, the change was anything but seamless, and he warned Murtagh of the daunting road ahead to reach such plateaus.

Graham said that was part of why he had become so actively involved with Gridiron Australia’s partnership with the NFL — attempting to foster a deeper connection with the game at the grassroots to hone the talent long term.

“It definitely wasn’t seamless. There’s only been three of us that have made the direct transition from the AFL to the NFL,” Graham said.

“The more common pathway these days is through college, or NFL scouts who are comparing college punters with college punters — not college punters with other athletes from overseas who have never played the game before.

“I definitely had to work hard every single day. It’s hard to get into the league, but it’s even harder to keep your job because it is such a brutal industry when it comes to the way teams can cut players.

“There are different pathways, different routes people take to get in to the NFL. This program (NFL Flag Championship Tournament) isn’t necessarily about trying to find the next generation of NFL players, but it’s having young people engaged in the sport.”

Sundown for inaugural signing

— Hannah Davies, November 9

Foundation Sun Rory Thompson has pushed his injury ravaged body to its limit, calling time on his 106 game AFL career with a year remaining on his contract.

Thompson, who underwent back-to-back knee reconstructions, battled constant injury during a 14 year career that became a draining battle to take the field.

The club’s longest serving playermade a heroic return to AFL football in Round 8 this season after 1379 days out of the game, but has decided to focus on his career and family going forward given the difficulties of getting his body right.

“Towards the end of last season it was getting hard to back up games and keep my body moving and it just felt like the right time for me and my family to move on to the next chapter of our lives,” Thompson said.

“It’s been such a long journey with so many ups and downs and wonderful people that come into your life.

“I’m super grateful to the Suns for giving me that opportunity so many years ago as a young kid and having stuck with me all this time, it’s pretty hard to put into words what that means to me.”

The now 31-year-old was born in the Gold Coast where he was coached by his father at the Southport Sharks before joining the Suns for the 2009 TAC Cup.

Thompson played in the club’s 2010 VFL side before progressing into the Suns inaugural 2011 AFL side as one of four local signings.

The father-of-two made his AFL debut in Round 16 of 2011 and went on to have a breakthrough year in 2013, finishing fourth in the Suns Club Champion and winning Most Improved and Most Professional awards.

“Looking back I was a kid that didn’t think I would get drafted, so to go to where I am now after 14 years, I’m very proud of myself and the work I’ve put in and very grateful to the people that have helped me get this far.”

Suns General Manager of Football Performance Wayne Campbell said Thompson would leave a lasting legacy on club.

“Rory is one of the most respected players at the club and should be proud of everything he has achieved in his AFL career,” Campbell said.

“He’s faced a lot of adversity with injury in his time at the Suns, but his commitment and determination to bounce back from every setback can only be admired.

“On behalf of the entire football club, I’d like to thank him for everything he has given the Gold Coast Suns over the last 14 years.

“Rory will continue to have a role with the club and we look forward to his involvement with the Suns going forward.”