Americans are well and truly experiencing the culture clash of Australia after arriving for Friday’s inaugural NFL game in Melbourne.
The players, fans and journalists that have made the 16-hour trip for the LA Rams’ game against the San Francisco 49ers’ have been shell-shocked by some facets of Aussie life.
That includes a Bunnings Sausage Sizzle — which played host to 49ers legends Joe Nedney, Justin Pettyman, and Ian Williams over the weekend.
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Williams bizarrely explained it was his “first time getting behind a grill,” as the football stars helped cook up a storm for the public.
49ers reporter Grant Cohn has been one of the most vocal US journalists since landing Down Under.
He has shared a number of noteworthy culture shocks including Aussie urinals where you “stand on the grate at the bottom”.
He also attended the Swans’ win over the Lions at the SCG and went viral for pronouncing Lachie Neale’s first name as “Lashay”.
Among Cohn’s list of positives about Australia are the coffee, meat pies, and accent.
But it is the negatives that will be particularly amusing for locals — not least him describing Bulldogs star Martin Bontempelli’s performance against the Crows as “laying a big, fat egg”.
From magpies “ruining your day”, to the metric system, to a “50 per cent sour cream” burrito that “hurt my feelings” — there were several criticisms from the NFL expert.
The US natives are also struggling to come to terms with their beloved Burger King being named Hungry Jack’s over here — something Cohn feels should leave the chain Jack in the Box “furious”.
Where the American writer has truly endeared himself to locals is his immediate embrace of Melbourne’s pub culture and status as the “pot and parma” capital.
Sharing his appraisal in a video that has gone viral on X, Cohn said: “That’s delicious”.
Trying an Australian “pacific ale” from Byron Bay brewer Stone and Wood, Cohn clearly enjoyed the notes of “orange, mango and papaya”.
Yet they have managed to stamp their own culture on Australia too, with the 49ers setting a world record for the largest cheerleading dance on Sunday as 1424 people took part.
The latest American bemusement comes after some US fans were left stunned by where the 49ers were staying, mistaking a train depot for a substation.
Two fan accounts on X expressed their dismay after 49ers star Jordan Watkins shared a photo of the view of the city.
“The #49ers left Cali, just to sleep in a hotel next to another substation,” wrote X account @49ers & NFL News 24/7.
“This is from Jordan Watkins IG Story. Is that a substation?”
“The 49ers hotel in Australia is right next to a substation,” wrote @MLFootball, all in capitals. You cannot make this up.”
Meanwhile, another NFL journalist, Dontay Atkinson, is tipping landslide support for the 49ers despite it technically being a Rams “home” game at the MCG.
He said: “I hope @nflcommish appreciates that the 49ers are spending a full week at public events and interacting with locals in Melbourne, doing the NFL’s ambassador work. The team does seem to be enjoying the people there.
“The Rams are the “home team” and the party responsible for requiring the 49ers take that lengthy trip (and we all know why), and they’ve done exactly jack squat to sell the NFL brand or connect with Australians. Fly in, fly out, no contact. I’m sure the Aussies feel great about that snub. Fail.
“It’s going to be heavily red in the stands again.”
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