How Eddie Maguire’s son became a massive footy name away from Aussie Rules without his famous father’s help

Eddie McGuire is one of the most famous faces in Aussie Rules, which is why his son wanted to forge his own identity away from the AFL in Australia.

Joe McGuire grew up like most kids in Melbourne, playing Aussie Rules and cricket and, with the former Collingwood boss and Footy Show presenter as his father, seemed destined for a career in the AFL.

Instead, he chose a completely different path and is now in his second year with the Ohio State Buckeyes, one of the premier college football programs in the United States.

He is joined by fellow Australian Nick McLarty as punters for the Buckeyes, bringing a uniquely Australian twist to the team that only happened because of a chance conversation during the Covid pandemic.

“One of my friends came up to me in Covid and said you’ve got a decent leg, why don’t you try this thing called Prokick Australia,” Joe said.

Now, in a remarkable journey, the right-footed punter has forced his way onto a team that has won eight national championships and plays in front of 100,000 diehard fans in their Ohio stadium.

And now he has revealed why he turned down the AFL to take a chance on a sport where only 6.5 percent of high school footy players will make it to the NCAA college level.

McGuire wanted to challenge himself in a sport away from the public eye in Australia, where his famous father Eddie is a big name in AFL

“The way the world looks right now, everything I did in Melbourne, there will be people who say you only did that because of your dad,” the 23-year-old said News Corp.

“This is one thing: It just doesn’t matter who your father is or whatever. You have to work hard and be good enough, otherwise they just can’t play you at a school like this.’

His father was surprised by his journey, but very supportive.

“It was very impressive to see a young child carry out such a bizarre dream,” Eddie said of his son.

“He literally started all over again… and now he plays in front of 100,000 spectators every week.”

It hasn’t been an easy ride, with McLarty being selected as the first-choice punter ahead of the Buckeyes’ season opener in August.

McGuire found himself in the United States after completing the Prokick Australia program

McGuire’s big right foot could propel the Buckeyes to a ninth national championship

That only made McGuire more determined and he channeled one of the team’s mottos, “Iron sharpens iron,” to work even harder in training.

It worked, with McGuire forcing coach Ryan Day to make an eleventh hour substitution and give the Aussie the starting punter.

It paid off: McGuire kicked three punts and helped the Buckeyes to a 52-6 victory in front of his mother, father and more than 100,000 other fans in the stands.

“When you’re surrounded by good players who challenge you, you have to get better,” McGuire said.

“I knew what I thought I was capable of, and I knew how hard I could train. From the beginning of the year until now, I’ve had a lot of development that I had to do if I wanted to play… So I definitely gave it my all.”

McGuire also revealed the biggest culture shock he had to overcome during his first season: the bitter cold of winter.

The mercury can drop to minus temperatures and playing in the snow is not uncommon.

“You play in places like Wisconsin and it’s like kicking a rock,” McGuire said.

“I thought I was ready, but it was an unpleasant surprise.”