Sav Rocca

Infobox afl player | firstname = Saverio
lastname = Rocca




birthdate = birth date and age|1973|11|20|df=y
birthplace = Melbourne, Australia
originalteam = North Reservoir-Lakeside
heightweight = 195cm / 112kg
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = 1992
debutteam = Collingwood
debutopponent = Footscray
debutstadium = MCG
playingteams = Collingwood (1992-2000)

156 games, 514 goals

Kangaroos (2001-2006)

101 games, 234 goals
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = 2006
careerhighlights =

*Collingwood best and fairest 1995
*AFL Rising Star nominee 1993
*Collingwood leading goalkicker 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
*Kangaroos leading goalkicker 2001, 2002, 2004
*VFL-AFL Italian Team of the Century
*The ANZAC Day clash Best player at first ever ANZAC Day Clash.

Saverio "Sav" Rocca (born 20 November 1973) is an all-round sportsperson who is currently an American football punter for the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League.

While he is notable as converting from professional Australian rules football to professional American Football, he is most notable for his Australian rules football career. During his time in the Australian Football League, he became one of the greatest goalkickers in the history of the competition. In a career which spanned 14 years between Collingwood and North Melbourne Football Clubs, he ended up 13th in the AFL all-time goalkicking records. While his average of just under 3 goals a game, he was noted more for his ability to kick accurately from great distances which ultimately led to his trial for the Eagles.

Saverio is the older brother of Anthony Rocca and for a brief time in their careers, they both played for Collingwood, combining at centre half and full-forward.

When he converted to American Football he made the history books as the oldest rookie in the history of the NFL, taking the mantle from fellow Australian Ben Graham. [cite news |url= http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22345495-23218,00.html |title= Eagles take a punt on Rocca |date=2007-09-01 |work=FOX SPORTS Australia]

Early career

A big man who was junior athletics champion in shotput, Rocca was recruited to Collingwood in 1991. He was a strong full-forward with a huge kick, showing true signs as a key player to the Magpies in his debut season of 1992. In 1993 however, he quickly got the attention from the crowds, kicking 73 goals including two hauls of 10 goals in a matter of 3 weeks, and the following season 49 goals.

A huge kick, he could kick the ball dead straight over 60 metres - a spectacular sight for Magpies fans. In 1995 he had his best season, almost getting 100 goals, falling short with 93 in only 21 games. He played a massive game in the traditional ANZAC Day clash, kicking 9 goals, and he bagged another 10 goals weeks later against the Crows. He also chipped in at the top of the table in the Pies best and fairest award. He continued to show he was a strong full-forward and always at the top in what seemed a disappointing side when it came to the ladder, he kicked bags of 66, 76 and 68 in the next 3 seasons, with him coming second in the Coleman Medal for 1997 behind Tony Modra.

His form however slipped, kicking only 60 goals in the next two seasons, despite winning his 7th consecutive leading goalkicker award in 1999 with only 33 goals, he was delisted after more than 150 games and over 500 goals for the club.

North Melbourne career

Despite being delisted, he was drafted to North Melbourne, where he made a new beginning. He was experienced and looking older, but he was only 27 when picked up and was seen to have plenty of years left in him standing in the goalsquare. He was successful kicking 98 goals in his first two seasons, enough to be the Roos leading goalkicker on each occasion. His form once again slipped over the years, but he was still a key member when needed, he has kicked his 700th goal in 2005, and set to play game 250.

2006 season

During the 2006 season, Rocca was overlooked for selection by coach Dean Laidley for many Kangaroos games despite admirable form, including a bag of 6 goals in a 77-point loss to Collingwood where he was one of the few players to put in a solid performance.

He was given little game time and was dropped after Round 5, where he returned to the VFL with North Ballarat. In his first game with the Roosters he booted 7 goals straight, but was again left out of the senior Kangaroo side.

Rocca sustained a hamstring injury in round 10 of the VFL. In his 6 VFL games up to that time, he had averaged 4.83 goals.

At 32 and under contract until the end of the season, Rocca seemed close to retirement from the AFL. In preparation for a continued professional sporting career, he began training as an NFL punter, appearing in a video shot at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne showing his immense kicking range to talent scouts. Rocca remained at the Kangaroos to reach the 100 game milestone so that the father-son rule applies for his family. [ [http://kangaroos.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=245723] ]

In an emotional farewell in the Round 22 match against his old club Collingwood, Rocca booted 3 goals. Wasting no time, he left for the United States on a trial as a gridiron punter with the Philadelphia Eagles the following Tuesday. [ [http://blogs.philly.com/blinq/ Blinq ] ]

NFL career

Infobox NFLactive
name=Sav Rocca


currentteam=Philadelphia Eagles
currentnumber=6
currentpositionplain=Punter
birthdate=birth date and age|1973|11|20
birthplace=Melbourne, Australia
|country=AUS
heightft=6
heightin=5
weight=265
debutyear=2007
debutteam=Philadelphia Eagles
pastteams=
* Philadelphia Eagles (2007-present)
statweek=5
statseason=2008
statlabel1=Punts
statvalue1=96
statlabel2=Punt Yards
statvalue2=3,533
statlabel3=Punting Yard Average
statvalue3=43.2
nfl=ROC041015Rocca had tried out for the Buffalo Bills in 2006 but was not invited to training camp. Philadelphia, looking to provide some competition for Dirk Johnson signed Rocca for the 2007 training camp.

In the Eagles preseason, Rocca had several punts of over 50 yards and another that went over 65 yards. On the 65-yard punt, Antwan Barnes of the Baltimore Ravens leveled Rocca, knocking off his helmet. While officials did not penalize Barnes during the game, the league fined him US$12,500 for the hit. [ cite news |url= http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2007/08/24/sports/gsports082407.txt |title= Ravens rookie Barnes fined for big hit against Eagles |date=2007-08-24 |work=Carroll County (Maryland) Times]

Rocca was also favored over Johnson by placekicker David Akers as his holder for place kicks. He was not perfect, however, mishandling a snap on one attempt and failing to handle a poor snap on a second attempt in a game against the New York Jets, [cite news |url= http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070831/SPORTS02/708310376/1002/SPORTS |title= Laces Out |date=2007-08-31 |work=The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware)]

On the final day of cuts, Rocca learned that he had won the job when Johnson was released. [cite news |url= http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/20070902_Its_official__Johnson__Bloom_among_cuts.html |title=It's official: Johnson, Bloom among cuts |date=2007-09-02 |work=Philadelphia Inquirer]

Rocca averaged 42 yards per punt during his first NFL season in 2007. [cite news |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10441 |title=Saverio Rocca NFL career statistics |work=ESPN]

Rocca (at 33) is the oldest rookie in NFL history, a title which previously belonged to another Australian born Punter, Ben Graham of the Jets (who was 31).

Rocca was named NFL special-teams Player-of-the-Month for September, 2008, leading the league with a 44.1-yard net punting average and downing seven punts inside the 20-yard-line. [cite news |url= http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/20081003_Eagles_Notes___Westbrook_takes_a_few_more_steps.html |title=Eagles Notes: Westbrook takes a few more steps; Rocca named ST Player of the Month |date=2008-10-03 |work=Philadelphia Inquirer]

References

External links

*Kangplayer|ref=14033
*AflRleague|ref=S/Saverio_Rocca.html
*YouTube|cerDBOd_zlg|Video clip of the infamous hit from Antwan Barnes

ee also

*List of Australian rules football incidents