Collingwood ruck Mason Cox lived the first 23 years of his life blissfully unaware of Australian rules football, and now he's reached the sport's pinnacle.
Growing up in Texas almost 15,000km from Melbourne, Cox's sporting career started in college basketball before he was invited to attend the 2014 US International Combine for potential AFL players.
Standing at 211cm, Cox impressed with his skills and was selected by the Magpies at pick 60 in the 2015 rookie draft.
Nine years after he was scouted, Cox late on Saturday afternoon had a premiership medal and American flag around his neck - and an Australian twang in his accent.
"It's a full circle moment," he told AAP.
"From never hearing of the sport to being a premiership player now, it's pretty crazy to think.
"It's pretty incredible to look back on the whole thing and how much I've learned and grown as a person."
Cox has become the second American-born AFL premiership player, after West Coast's Don Pyke triumphed in 1992 and 1994.
Canadian Mike Pyke also played in Sydney's 2012 premiership team.
Cox admits the road to glory has been long and, at times, unbearable.
Known for his protective goggles, Cox has suffered injuries in both eyes.
Less than a year after an altercation in the 2018 grand final loss resulted in a detached retina in one eye, Cox suffered a torn retina in the other after an accidental poke against Gold Coast.
The 32-year-old has undergone six bouts of surgery since - three on his left eye, two on his right and also cataract surgery.
In what he called the "darkest moment of my life" at the time, he was required to spend two weeks in bed in a darkened room for 45 minutes of each hour.
Cox credits Collingwood coach Craig McRae's support as the main reason he persisted.
"It's been a journey over nine years, ups and downs and all around, losing eyesight and injuries and everything else," Cox said.
"'He (McRae) is the reason I'm here, no doubt. He's a father figure for us all and quite a bit for myself. He's been there from the beginning to the end.
"There was no one else I'd rather play for so it's amazing to be able to repay him for what he's been able to give me in my life and my experiences as a player."
