New Orleans Saint Matthew Hayball’s unlikely rise from Geelong VFL to NFL Monday Night Football

Almost a decade ago Matthew Hayball was a draft bolter and battling VFL player at Geelong. This week he took on Mahomes, Kelce and Swifties in front of millions on Monday Night Football writes SHANNON GILL.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - SEPTEMBER 22: Matthew Hayball #43 of the New Orleans Saints in action against the Philadelphia Eagles at Caesars Superdome on September 22, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Gus Stark/Getty Images)

When Matthew Hayball was slogging away for Geelong in the VFL, Monday nights were spent with housemates Jake Kolodjashnij and James Parsons reviewing how they might break into the Cats’ AFL side.

Nine years on from being drafted, last Monday night looked very different for Hayball.

Instead of looking on at Patrick Dangerfield, it was Patrick Mahomes.

“It was surreal. It’s a fair change up,” Hayball laughs.

Australia’s newest NFL punter for the New Orleans Saints just had the biggest moment of his sporting life.

The brightest lights in US sport shine on ‘Monday Night Football’ and this week Hayball took centre stage with four punts.

On the other side of the field was the two-time Super Bowl winning Kansas City Chiefs with megastars Mahomes and Travis Kelce defending their home turf.

Hayball punts against the Carolina Panthers. Picture: Perry Knotts/Getty Images

Matthew Hayball in his Geelong VFL days. Picture: Adam Trafford/AFL Media

Off the field there was a Chiefs fan named Taylor Swift cheering on, while more than 16 million Americans watched on television.

“Arrowhead Stadium in prime-time was an unbelievable thing to experience. The reason you play sport is to be a part of games like that,” he tells CODE Sports.

Prime time punts 🇦🇺 @matthewhayball#NFL#[e-mail]/apssWFiqmN

— NFL Australia & NZ (@NFLAUNZ) October 9, 2024

It’s a long way from the 50 VFL games Hayball played for the Cats, usually in front of a couple of hundred spectators.

And as hard as it would seem to shut out all those glitzy distractions, Hayball is doing a good job so far.

The injury-decimated Saints went down to the Chiefs 13-26, but USA Today’s ‘SaintsWire’ website for hardcore New Orleans fans praised the Aussie.

“The New Orleans Saints didn’t do well against the Kansas City Chiefs in many categories, but rookie punter Matthew Hayball was a bright spot on the day,” wrote Darrion Gray.

Statistically it was his best outing of the season averaging more than 49 yards.

“There’s some things to improve on, but I was reasonably happy with it,” he says.

Hayball has taken his Australian Rules skills at the NFL. Picture: Chris Graythen/Getty Images

The cutthroat nature of the NFL means that Hayball cannot rest on any laurels.

He got his start this year by beating out the Saints incumbent, fellow Aussie and mate Lou Hedley, in a virtual punt-off through the pre-season training camp.

Next year someone will try to knock him off.

“Job security is not something you can expect in the NFL,” he says.

The advice of another Aussie, Pittsburgh Steelers punter Cam Johnston, of approaching every NFL day as if it’s your last has informed his attitude on game day.

“Before we start warming up I just have that moment to take it all in and appreciate how special it is,” Hayball says.

“The stakes are high but at the end of the day it’s supposed to be fun and it’s trying to kick the ball as high and as far as you can. It’s not a bad gig.”

The NFL life on the edge is a contrast to Hayball’s previous life as an AFL Cat.

A product of West Adelaide in the SANFL, Hayball was the archetype draft bolter in 2015.

Hayball during his time as a VFL Cat. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Picked by Geelong with the 70th and final selection of the night, the AFL had no information on him apart from his name and age and even the Geelong website described him as a “project player.”

“The huge difference (in the NFL) is the immediate pressure to get it done right away,” he says.

“When I walked into Geelong, I knew I was going to have time to develop and they’d be patient with me, whereas here you’re in the door day one, evaluated and you can be let go at any point.

“So it’s just straight into pressure from the get-go.”

Matthew Hayball takes a kick for Florida Atlantic.

Across three seasons at Geelong Hayball played as a forward and then a running half back in the VFL. He could never quite crack that elusive senior AFL game despite his left-foot kicking being a strength.

When he was delisted by the Cats at the end of 2018, the NFL fan who followed the Green Bay Packers reached out to ProKick, long-time brokers of Australian rules players into college football programs.

Initially the education element to playing college football in the US was the carrot, anything more would be a bonus.

“It’s an opportunity for a full scholarship. Room, board, tuition..it’s worth $250 -300,000 US depending on where you end up.

“So just that in itself is an amazing opportunity.”

Yet across five years, three at Florida Atlantic University where he earned a degree in finance and then two at Vanderbilt where he earned a masters in management, his football flourished.

He left Vanderbilt last year as its all-time leader in punting average (46.5 yards) that propelled him to his big chance at the Saints and on to the NFL spotlight.

Many old Cats teammates reached out with text messages when he won the roster spot with the Saints, and this week that football journey will come full circle in a way.

Old housemates Kolodjashnij and Parsons will arrive in New Orleans and attend Monday’s home game against Tampa Bay.

Despite sharing the field with Mahomes and Kelce, Hayball doesn’t think he’s got one up on his AFL premiership-winning mate Kolodjashnij.

“Nah, winning grand finals is just as good as playing Monday Night Football,” he laughs.

Originally published as New Orleans Saint Matthew Hayball’s unlikely rise from Geelong VFL to NFL Monday Night Football