Few could imagine that on ANZAC Day this year, in one of the biggest games of Australian Football for the season, an American would take centre stage.

With his first kick in his first AFL game, Collingwood forward Mason Cox did just that, opening the scoring in what was truly a sign of the globalisation of the Australian code.

More recently, on the other side of the world in Florida, it was Mason’s older brother Nolan who was kicking goals – three of them in fact – to help guide the Austin Crows to back-to-back United States Australian Rules Football Division One Championships.

Like Mason, Nolan was previously a basketballer, playing at college level with Oklahoma State before taking up football more recently following his brother’s decision to pursue an AFL career.

“I was just looking for some guys to have a kick, so I looked it up online,” Cox said talking with ESPN.

“The experience is awesome, and it’s very competitive.”

The USAFL National Championships have become quite the football event. Since the League was founded in 1997, it has expanded at a rapid rate and now features competition across four men’s and two women’s divisions.

Based in Austin, Texas the Crows have been the dominant force in the League recently, capturing four championships since 2010, with the 2016 title capping off an undefeated season for the club.

Wearing official Crows AFL guernseys, donated to them by the Adelaide Football Club, Austin look every part the picture of success their recent performances in the USAFL indicate.

NBA star and Crows Ambassador Patty Mills has also adopted the Austin Crows as his ‘local’ team in Texas.

On the women’s side, the San Francisco Iron Maidens captured their first Division I title in what was overall a successful 2016 National Championships.

San Diego has been announced as next year’s tournament host and the Crows will be hoping to achieve a three-peat with a win in 2017.