Former Sydney Swans defender Will Gould is putting his AFL career aside to chase an NFL dream as a punter.
Gould, who played four senior games with the Swans after being drafted at pick 26 in the 2019 AFL Draft, is now aiming to make a name for himself in American football after a successful SANFL stint with Glenelg.
Gould recently played a key role in Glenelg's SANFL premiership win, but the opportunity to pursue punting in the NFL reignited a long-standing interest.
"It's something I looked at and considered when I was a bit younger, but obviously AFL was always the dream," Gould shared with SEN SA.
Now, with guidance from friend Oscar Chapman, an Australian punter at Auburn University, Gould is ready to shift his focus.
The 23-year-old's journey begins with ProKick Australia, a Melbourne-based program renowned for training Aussies for NFL roles.
Gould plans to spend the next 12 months refining his punting technique under their guidance. From there, if all goes well, he hopes to land a college placement in the United States by 2026, with the ultimate goal of reaching the NFL.
“I'll move to Melbourne for 12 months and learn the craft,” Gould explained.
"The program's called ProKick Australia… if you're good enough, you can then go pro. An Aussie just got drafted and is doing well at Chicago."
The path from AFL to NFL has grown in popularity among Australian athletes, with recent successes like Arryn Siposs and other ProKick alumni making their mark stateside.
Gould is hopeful he'll follow in their footsteps and potentially secure a college scholarship that could allow him to complete a teaching degree as well.
For Gould, the transition offers a second chance to thrive on a new stage, embracing the punting craft while bringing his Australian roots to a rapidly growing field for Aussie athletes in the NFL.