With an already strong tether between the Campaspe region and football - of the American variety - one Kyabram and Tongala alum has joined an elite crew of Australians to have featured in the NCAA Division One Football Bowl.
This time, though, he was on the wrong side of the ledger.
Dylan Joyce, a Kyabram and Tongala junior, donned the shoulder pads for Miama Hurricanes against the Indiana Hoosiers in front of a 67,000 strong crowd at Florida’s Hard Rock Stadium which included US President Donald Trump.
As a punter, Joyce was used sparingly by the Hurricanes in the 27-21 defeat, punting five times for a return of 234 yards with a unfortunate moment landing in the Kyabramite’s lap.
Joyce’s third-quarter punt was swallowed up by Indiana’s Mikail Kamara, blocked at the source and pounced on by Isaiah Jones in the end zone — a momentum-swinging touchdown that blew the Hoosiers out to a 17–7 lead.
And in games of such high stakes, those are the moments that matter.
Indiana went on to secure its first national championship in 138 years, with fellow Australian and former VFL-listed Collingwood Magpie Mitch McGrath lapping up the spoils for the Hoosiers.
But Joyce can certainly hold his head high knowing he has reached a plane few from his country have or ever will.
A ProKick Australia product, Joyce has spent the past three seasons punting for the Hurricanes after coming through the AFL-to-America pipeline.
Joyce last played football in Australia for Moama in 2022, kicking 18 goals in 11 games for the Magpies.
He is joined by other Kyabram products Makenzie Ryan and Nathan Torney as those to have carved out a career with the pigskin overseas.
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