Latest news with #Petaia
Courier-Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Courier-Mail
From Wallabies to wealth: huge payday looms for 25-yr-old star
At just 25, ex Wallaby and Qld Reds star Jordan Petaia is cashing in with a near $1m annual contract in Los Angeles, but a shrewd Australian deal might net him even more before the Lions roar in. Mr Petaia officially retired from rugby union late last year when he left Brisbane to pursue a career in the United States with the NFL – securing a three-year $2.965m deal with the Los Angeles Chargers that Spotrac figures say give him an average annual salary of $988,333. MORE: Cash-strap student turns $40k to 38 homes Palaszczuk scores insane 684 per cent return on Brisbane property MORE: Tradie's colossal 5.5m find in Aus backyard Million-dollar shock: Most Aussies now priced out of house market But he could soon much more than that without lifting a finger off a Brisbane property he bought the first year of the pandemic in June 2020 for $790,000. House prices in Fairfield have jumped 54.4 per cent in the last five years, which would mean a jump of $429,760 in the property's value – taking it to $1.22m. Valuation estimates show the market value could even go as high as $1.43m for the sports star, making more in one signature than he'd do all year training. The property is the first Mr Petaia bought while he was with the Queensland Reds, during which time he amassed a total 31 caps for the Wallabies. MORE: Shock twist as former Virgin CEO to tear down $17m mansion Inside slumlord's crumbling empire: derelict, unliveable, worth millions Ray White Holland Park agents Piers Crawford and Brad McMahon have taken the property at 34 Brisbane Corso to market, with the post-war house on a 647sqm site set to draw strong market attention in an area of regrowth, walking distance from the University of Queensland. 'Jordan has told us he is looking forward to settling into Los Angeles life and is loving the opportunity and high performance environment of the NFL and the Chargers,' Mr Crawford said. 'The home has been very good to him over the years, but he has made the decision to move on.' 'Fairfield is the perfect lifestyle location being so close to parks and Brisbane River, University of Queensland and the cultural and entertainment precincts in West End and South Brisbane.' 'It provides excellent access to Mater and Princess Alexandra hospitals and is also in the highly sought-after school catchment of Brisbane South State Secondary College.' Mr Petaia has put some work into maintaining the house which was built in 1980. 'It has been recently renovated and presents very well and, being on a larger corner block, the site has very good development potential.' 'It will be perfect for any owner-occupiers or investors looking for a very liveable property with excellent opportunity for further development. We have had good interest so far.' The house currently has three bedrooms, a bathroom and parking for two vehicles with rental estimated from a low of $569 a week to as high as $709/wk. MORE REAL ESTATE NEWS
Japan Times
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Australians eye NFL draft in hopes of finding next Jordan Mailata
Less than three months after former rugby league player Jordan Mailata barged his way to Super Bowl glory with the Philadelphia Eagles, Australians will watch the NFL draft with interest to see where the next homegrown talent might emerge. Australia has a long history of producing NFL punters, with their dominance in college football becoming contentious. But offensive tackle Mailata has shown Aussies can thrive in other positions, having become the nation's first player to compete in a Super Bowl win during the Eagles' victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Mailata's ascent to the pinnacle of the game was big news in Australia where contact sports, Australian Rules football and rugby league, reign supreme in a crowded market. Fans will also be following Jordan Petaia's progress as the rugby union international strives to make the grade after signing with the Los Angeles Chargers. Like Mailata, Petaia, a former Wallabies center who is seen as a potential tight end by the Chargers, earned his chance after going through the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) training program. A number of Australians will hope to join Mailata and Petaia by signing NFL contracts after the draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, but the biggest chances may have to wait until late in the three-day event when teams top up their punters. Melbourne native Alex Mastromanno has been linked with the Denver Broncos after being named an All-American in 2024 after a strong season in his senior year at Florida State. James Burnip, another Melbourne man who punted for Alabama, has also generated draft buzz, along with Florida Gators punter Jeremy Crawshaw and Vanderbilt's Jesse Mirco. All four were trained at ProKick Australia, a specialist kicking academy in Melbourne that transforms local players into elite punters. Around 25 ProKick graduates are coming out of U.S. colleges this year and many will have their fingers crossed during the draft, said the academy's founder and coach Nathan Chapman. "It's been a big year," Chapman said. "Hopefully someone will get drafted. ProKick Australia has a high hit-rate of getting Australians into U.S. colleges on sports scholarships, which critics have branded unfair to younger American athletes. One disgruntled American parent has led a class action against the National Collegiate Athletic Association, alleging the body disproportionately favors international athletes over domestic ones. There is unlikely to be much complaint, however, if hulking Australian Laki Tasi gets drafted or picked up as an undrafted free agent. Seen as a potential defensive linesman and lacking a professional sports background, Tasi trained with Petaia at the NFL's Asia Pacific Academy in Australia before heading to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida in January for the IPP's 10-week training program. Though much heavier than Petaia, he has plenty in common with the Queenslander, sharing Samoan heritage and a childhood in rugby-mad Brisbane. "He's probably the most intriguing that's draft-eligible to me," NFL Academy head Will Bryce said.. "He's 6 (feet) 6 (inches), he's 300-plus pounds, he's powerful, big lower body, thick hips. There's some potential there. "Just hearing how he hit the bag on that IPP pro day was violent, and it was different to everyone else." While Mailata's success helped inspire Petaia and Tasi's NFL bids, football will be in the spotlight again in Australia next year when the NFL plays its first game in the country at the 100,000-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground. The regular-season game will feature the Los Angeles Rams as the designated home team, against a team to be named later, in a matchup that will most likely be the season-opener for both teams. Chapman, a former professional Australian Rules footballer who punted for the Green Bay Packers in a few preseason games, said the Melbourne clash would be another shop window for the sport and the Australian talent dreaming of NFL careers. "I think there's talent here in Australia in a number of positions," Chapman said. "There's an excitement that more players want to get involved which opens up the talent pool. "Getting a game here will create more buzz and also allow coaches to expand their networks and knowledge about what is actually here."
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Aussies eye NFL draft after Mailata's Super Bowl glory
Less than three months after former rugby league player Jordan Mailata barged his way to Super Bowl glory with the Philadelphia Eagles, Australians will watch the NFL draft with interest to see where the next homegrown talent might emerge. Australia has a long history of producing NFL punters, but offensive tackle Mailata has shown Aussies can thrive in other positions, having become the nation's first to play in a Super Bowl win during the Eagles' triumph over Kansas City. Mailata's ascent to the pinnacle of the game was big news in Australia where contact sports, Australian Rules football and rugby league, reign supreme in a crowded market. Fans will also follow Jordan Petaia's progress as the rugby union international strives to make the grade at the Los Angeles Chargers after signing a contract with them. Like Mailata, former Wallabies centre Petaia, seen as a potential tight end by the Chargers, earned his chance after going through the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) training program. A number of Australians will hope to join Mailata and Petaia with NFL contracts after the 90th draft in Green Bay, but the biggest chances may have to wait until late in the three-day event when teams top up their punters. Alex Mastromanno has been linked with the Denver Broncos after his strong season in his senior year at Florida State. James Burnip, another Melbourne man who punted for Alabama University, has also generated draft buzz along with Florida Gators punter Jeremy Crawshaw and Vanderbilt's Jesse Mirco. All four were trained at ProKick Australia, a specialist kicking academy in Melbourne that transforms local footballers into elite punters. Some 25 ProKick graduates are coming out of US colleges this year and many will have fingers crossed during the draft. "It's been a big year. Hopefully someone will get drafted," academy founder and coach Nathan Chapman told Reuters. ProKick Australia has a high hit-rate of putting mature-age Australians into US colleges on sports scholarships, which critics have branded unfair on younger American athletes. There is unlikely to be much complaint, however, if hulking Laki Tasi gets drafted or picked up as an undrafted free agent. Laki Tasi and his brothers with Jordan Mailata at IMG academy! Getting ready for the big Pro Day! 🏈 @NFLAUNZ @NFL — Ginnen Group Sports Management (@GinnenSports) February 23, 2025 Seen as a potential defensive linesman, Tasi trained with Petaia at the NFL's Asia Pacific Academy in Australia before heading to the IMG Academy in Florida in January for the IPP's 10-week training program. Though much heavier than Petaia, he has plenty in common with the Queenslander, sharing Samoan heritage and a childhood in rugby-mad Brisbane. "He's probably the most intriguing that's draft-eligible to me," NFL Academy head Will Bryce told Reuters. "He's 6'6", he's 300-plus pounds, he's powerful, big lower body, thick hips. There's some potential there. "Just hearing how he hit the bag on that IPP pro day was violent and it was different to everyone else."
West Australian
24-04-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Aussies eye NFL draft after Mailata's Super Bowl glory
Less than three months after former rugby league player Jordan Mailata barged his way to Super Bowl glory with the Philadelphia Eagles, Australians will watch the NFL draft with interest to see where the next homegrown talent might emerge. Australia has a long history of producing NFL punters, but offensive tackle Mailata has shown Aussies can thrive in other positions, having become the nation's first to play in a Super Bowl win during the Eagles' triumph over Kansas City. Mailata's ascent to the pinnacle of the game was big news in Australia where contact sports, Australian Rules football and rugby league, reign supreme in a crowded market. Fans will also follow Jordan Petaia's progress as the rugby union international strives to make the grade at the Los Angeles Chargers after signing a contract with them. Like Mailata, former Wallabies centre Petaia, seen as a potential tight end by the Chargers, earned his chance after going through the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) training program. A number of Australians will hope to join Mailata and Petaia with NFL contracts after the 90th draft in Green Bay, but the biggest chances may have to wait until late in the three-day event when teams top up their punters. Alex Mastromanno has been linked with the Denver Broncos after his strong season in his senior year at Florida State. James Burnip, another Melbourne man who punted for Alabama University, has also generated draft buzz along with Florida Gators punter Jeremy Crawshaw and Vanderbilt's Jesse Mirco. All four were trained at ProKick Australia, a specialist kicking academy in Melbourne that transforms local footballers into elite punters. Some 25 ProKick graduates are coming out of US colleges this year and many will have fingers crossed during the draft. "It's been a big year. Hopefully someone will get drafted," academy founder and coach Nathan Chapman told Reuters. ProKick Australia has a high hit-rate of putting mature-age Australians into US colleges on sports scholarships, which critics have branded unfair on younger American athletes. There is unlikely to be much complaint, however, if hulking Laki Tasi gets drafted or picked up as an undrafted free agent. Seen as a potential defensive linesman, Tasi trained with Petaia at the NFL's Asia Pacific Academy in Australia before heading to the IMG Academy in Florida in January for the IPP's 10-week training program. Though much heavier than Petaia, he has plenty in common with the Queenslander, sharing Samoan heritage and a childhood in rugby-mad Brisbane. "He's probably the most intriguing that's draft-eligible to me," NFL Academy head Will Bryce told Reuters. "He's 6'6", he's 300-plus pounds, he's powerful, big lower body, thick hips. There's some potential there. "Just hearing how he hit the bag on that IPP pro day was violent and it was different to everyone else."
Perth Now
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Aussies eye NFL draft after Mailata's Super Bowl glory
Less than three months after former rugby league player Jordan Mailata barged his way to Super Bowl glory with the Philadelphia Eagles, Australians will watch the NFL draft with interest to see where the next homegrown talent might emerge. Australia has a long history of producing NFL punters, but offensive tackle Mailata has shown Aussies can thrive in other positions, having become the nation's first to play in a Super Bowl win during the Eagles' triumph over Kansas City. Mailata's ascent to the pinnacle of the game was big news in Australia where contact sports, Australian Rules football and rugby league, reign supreme in a crowded market. Fans will also follow Jordan Petaia's progress as the rugby union international strives to make the grade at the Los Angeles Chargers after signing a contract with them. Like Mailata, former Wallabies centre Petaia, seen as a potential tight end by the Chargers, earned his chance after going through the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) training program. A number of Australians will hope to join Mailata and Petaia with NFL contracts after the 90th draft in Green Bay, but the biggest chances may have to wait until late in the three-day event when teams top up their punters. Alex Mastromanno has been linked with the Denver Broncos after his strong season in his senior year at Florida State. James Burnip, another Melbourne man who punted for Alabama University, has also generated draft buzz along with Florida Gators punter Jeremy Crawshaw and Vanderbilt's Jesse Mirco. All four were trained at ProKick Australia, a specialist kicking academy in Melbourne that transforms local footballers into elite punters. Some 25 ProKick graduates are coming out of US colleges this year and many will have fingers crossed during the draft. "It's been a big year. Hopefully someone will get drafted," academy founder and coach Nathan Chapman told Reuters. ProKick Australia has a high hit-rate of putting mature-age Australians into US colleges on sports scholarships, which critics have branded unfair on younger American athletes. There is unlikely to be much complaint, however, if hulking Laki Tasi gets drafted or picked up as an undrafted free agent. Seen as a potential defensive linesman, Tasi trained with Petaia at the NFL's Asia Pacific Academy in Australia before heading to the IMG Academy in Florida in January for the IPP's 10-week training program. Though much heavier than Petaia, he has plenty in common with the Queenslander, sharing Samoan heritage and a childhood in rugby-mad Brisbane. "He's probably the most intriguing that's draft-eligible to me," NFL Academy head Will Bryce told Reuters. "He's 6'6", he's 300-plus pounds, he's powerful, big lower body, thick hips. There's some potential there. "Just hearing how he hit the bag on that IPP pro day was violent and it was different to everyone else."
