Originally posted on 10/26/2014:

Just found this thread. As an Australian who has watched almost every NFL game for the last 5 years I find the whole premise kind of hilarious. Do some of you think Australian Rules is like rugby or rugby league? Because it's really not at all. NFL and either rugby code are much closer to each other than AFL is to any of them. If this question was could you build a roster of NFL players that could challenge Australia or an NRL team at Rugby League than I think it would be far more interesting.

However, if you want to stick with AFL than there are 2 major problems that any American is going to have with the game:

1. Kicking skills. Handballing can probably be learnt, but in AFL every player on the field has to be able to kick like a directional punter. If you run with the ball and then get tackled it is a free kick to the opposition, you can't just go down like you would in the NFL, you have to kick it away. If you cannot hit a teammate on the chest 50m away with a punt kick then you are completely useless as a player in any position. Now could this be learned over several years? Sure but since I imagine most NFL players have never really kicked in their life it is going to be a huge challenge to make up that time on Australian players who have been doing this since they were 5.

2. Endurance running. Especially over the last 10 years or so, AFL has become more and more about who can run the furthest. The MCG, which is not the biggest AFL venue (AFL has non-uniform field size in common with cricket and baseball, can't think of any other major sports that do) is approximately 4 times the area of an NFL field so there is a lot of ground to cover. Not only is the ground bigger, you have to cover more of it. I get that WRs and DBs run down the field on a lot of plays, but most players, especially midfielders are expected to cover almost the length of the field regularly, and at near full pace. Also, you have 18 on field with bench of 3 players, so everyone plays almost the whole game. As opposed to 11 men on the field out of a 46 man roster.

Of all football codes, AFL is by far the most taxing aerobically and nothing else is even close. Rugby league and soccer players will sometimes play midweek games, this could never happen in AFL because there is too much running. (I also know you couldn't play 3 NFL games in a week but I think its for a different reason). Also, there is no OT for tied games in the AFL regular season (ties are rare anyway). The most recent OT game happened in the playoffs in 2007 and most players were literally out on their feet aerobically. AFL players are built to run for the normal game time and that expends all their energy. That isn't true for any other sport that I know.

Are there skill position NFL players that could train to be endurance athletes? Obviously, but they would have to train specifically for it, rather than the power running needed in the NFL. Endurance >> Speed for the most part in AFL.

Lastly, do I think Calvin Johnson has some skills that could help in the AFL? Lol. Jumping and ball skills are important and if he could learn to run and kick he would be a dominant key position forward. The closest player we have to him is Buddy Franklin who is 6'6, 225 and very athletic.

If I had to make a line for say New York Giants vs Hawthorn Hawks after 2 weeks of NYG training it would be something like 200 points. The NFL team could not move the ball effectively at all and running up the score isn't as frowned upon in Australia as it is in the States.