Bruinsma recalls how it all came about, when having just completed his senior year at the University of Detroit, he received a call asking if he would like to try out at last April's AFL US combine in Los Angeles. "Got a call pretty much out of the blue, explaining what it was. I wasn't quite sure what to think of it at first. Thought it might have been some sort of practical joke someone was trying to play on me!" It was no joke though. Six AFL clubs attended the US event, at which 20 American athletes from basketball, soccer and gridiron backgrounds were tested under AFL conditions. Mason Cox, at 211.4 centimetres tall, impressed so much at the combine that he was subsequently snapped up by Collingwood as a rookie. Now Baynham and Bruinsma are looking to further bolster the ranks of Americans in the league, which numbered three this year.

Eric Wallace (North Melbourne), Jason Holmes (St Kilda) and Patrick Mitchell (Sydney) are all on rookie lists. "I came all the way across the world, so I'll definitely put everything I have into it and see what happens," Bruinsma says confidently. Baynham may not know all that much about the game yet, but what he does know is that it is possible for a mature-age recruit from overseas. He draws inspiration from the success of Canadian Mike Pyke at Sydney. "I think it speaks to testament that if you're willing to come in, to do the work, if you put in the dedication and hard work you can make the conversion, with no problem." There is a just a little bit of Kevin Sheedyesque spruiker in Baynham, too.

"Us Americans being part of the game, it would expand the watching in America, it would grow globally. It'd be a beautiful thing." The aspiring duo spent last week visiting AFL clubs Melbourne, Collingwood, Essendon and the Western Bulldogs. Bruinsma is appreciative of all the vision and dare shown by the AFL. "It's a big risk for them. Putting their necks on the line for us to come over here and giving us this opportunity, so we're just trying to get the most out of it." Baynham has his sights set on bettering the record of 102 centimetres shared by Naitanui and former Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast player Jared Brennan. There's the jump, but "a couple more under my sleeve, too," he adds.

Another event he nominated was the 20-metre sprint, with the record of 2.75 seconds belonging to former Suns backman Joel Wilkinson. "I did 2.8 back in the States, and I've been training pretty hard back in the States, so looking to go faster than that," Baynham said. Bruinsma is also rated a chance of setting a new mark in both the vertical jump and running vertical jump. Naitanui claims that even if his mantle does go, there will be an asterisk. "I was only 17 or 18 though, these boys are a bit older, so I said to [AFL talent manager] Kevin Sheehan I might have to do the test again to make it even because they've got a couple more years on me."