Listen: Lachlan Edwards (12/24)

I didn't think I would lock it as much as I did. Um, my favorite was the green, and now black. It is definitely become the favorite. But why didn't you think you'd like it at first? Probably because it's just so different from what we had previous. Yes, um, but it's really great on me. And so the last two times, I know, the first time the Jets wore black a loss, but they'll finish the year with the two win one

mark in the Blacks. Maybe that's why you like Busy beat the Giants and then of course Takedown in Miami Dolphins. So I've been meaning to ask you this for a while. Here we go, Yeah, here we go. When you were overseas back home in Australia the way you got into punting. I read this and I just want to know if this is true or not. One of your teachers happened to be driving by, like some field and you were just kicking a football, and like, this is how I

imagine this. He's literally driving by, you know, you got like some beautiful background. He's like, that's one of my students. It's like, wait a minute, he's kicking a football. Wait a minute, he's really good at this. Wait a minute, I have to stop. Pull over, like, throw all my hazards. Tell Lachlan that he should go kick in the NFL, or go kick football is overseas in college? Is that act? Like?

Is that essentially how it happened? Essentially happened? I? Um, we would just we actually started throwing the football and back then I was even worse thrown. Um, and we just started kicking it and he drives Boston. Um, he's now one of my good buddies. A goot telpye. Um he's originally from Connecticut. Sorry, he recognized the football compared to doing Australian football. Um. Yeah, he stopped and came over and uh, and had a chat and he said,

do you want to try it? And I thought he was joking and he led me in the right direction and ended up going to college six months later in Texas. In Texas, Yeah, what'd your family think about you leaving Australia. It's not like a kid growing up in Florida Park and they're going to Georgia or something like that. You left Australia. Yeah. They kind of kind of scoffed at the start because I was like, you know, you're joking. But after a while and you know, started you know,

started to figure out how we could actually do it. Um. You know, they caught on a bit more and they saw that people had actually done it before me. Um, and we started watching some TV shows like Azzi's Abroad and Stuff, which was a show on ESPN back then. And that followed guys like Darren Bennett and um Ozzy's

met McBryan that had been in the NFL and college system. Um, and they started to, you know, to think it might be a good idea And yeah, but but are you thinking and you and your family thinking free education or maybe I got a chance to do this as my livelihood and make money doing it and start a career. It didn't really start it as I think I could do it in the NFL. It just sort of started as, um, you know, I want to go see how colleges in America.

I want to see the world, you know. And I hadn't been out of Australia at that stage, um, and it just looked like a load of fun. Um you know you see Texas in in the movies and stuff. It was just a great, you know, a chance for me to try something new. And uh, you know, luckily enough, I I did all right and was able to make it. What was your NFL consumption growing up? And what is the general NFL consumption like in Australia, Because I imagine it's decent. But not only that, the the time zones

are just so different. So if you're watching a one o'clock game here, like, I have no idea what time it is in Australia, but I imagine you have to be up pretty late to watch some NFL game. Yeah, so depending on daylight savings and stuff. Mom, mom and dad is set in the alarm at about four four o'clock in the morning, um, just to watch them play football. So and they've never missed a game, which is great. Um. But before, you know, growing up, I didn't really see

much NFL. Um you'd see the movies like remember the Titans. That's a good soundtrack, Yeah, fright, and allarts stuff like that, so you know, I had a little understanding of it. And you know, it was like a small town, small Texas towns that were like everything was football, and I was like, that's not true. But you know, long behold,

it is pretty true. Um. It's growing on in Australia now, especially with the more guys we get in um, you know, and every time we get a professional sports player like you know Valentine, like how it spurs you know, more interest from the republic And yeah, they they like to see people other than punners, you know in the NFL. So for folks who don't have the roster in front of them. What what college did you do in Texas? Sam Houston State, Sam Houston State, So how much culture

shock when you went there? And did you even go on a visit before actually pecking your bags and leaving Australia. Obviously didn't go on a boat, but imagine you flew over but I probably would rather to vote. Actually, the flight over it was terrible, was it? Really? Remember the flight? Well, they know it's long. It was only because I got on the plane. In my whole road the power wasn't working, so I couldn't watch a movie. I couldn't even turn

my heart on like the overhead light. Yeah, so I put and it's you know, sixteen hours from Sydney to l A or fourteen your take. So you were in the three across. I was in the economy Yeah, definitely, um, and I luckily had a seat between me, so you know, I had a little bit of room, but still pretty brutal. You know, I've been six ft five ish back there. It's not great. But I pulled out the laptop and I unfortunately I hadn't seen the movie before I put

on with Marshall. Really Matthew mcguy, I want a plane And you know the whole movie is about a plane crash, which is you know, it's a horrible thing. You're going to college, yes, but right, but you're watching We are Marshall on a plane international flight. This is your first international flight time. Yeah. Yeah, but the culture shock was it was huge. When I got there. They had had an Australian there before me, so they sort of knew

what to expect. But he was a bit older. I think he was like twenty seven when he got there, and I was I just turned twenty one, and you know, people couldn't really understand me. I couldn't really understand them, and it it was kind of like, you know, you just give each other a not and just go about your way. You know. Did you initially have a full ride there? Um? So I was. I was told I could, I would have a full ride. And when I got there, I

was informed i'ld get a half scholarship. Oh no, yeah, so it wasn't It wasn't great. Um we had to figure out whether I could even in the first place. Um, and you know, Mom and Dad thankfully made it, made it work for me. Um, Huntsville is a pretty cheap place and we're able to find some cheap accommodation for the for the year, and um, so we made it work. I didn't get on full scholarship until my last year. Wow, do you consider yourself an adventurous guy a courageous guy?

Because I know myself at eighteen, nineteen, twenty years old, there's no way in hell I'll be like, oh, I tried to support for six months. Maybe you know it was a rugby league or something like that, and people are like, hey, give it a try over here. I couldn't do it. No. I mean it's probably sort of more of I guess Australian culture. I guess it's more just you know, give it a shot. What's the worse it can happen? You know, I'll just stand up back

home where I am. Sorry. Um, I was at university back there, and I thought, why not give it a shot, and you know, if it all goes, you know, in pair shape, I'll come back. I've never lived in Texas before. What is Texas? Like? Everybody talks about everything is bigger in Texas, you know. And now you're living up here in New York obviously, UM yeah, I love it. I Um I got place down in Austin. Um so we lived there in the off season. UM, I really enjoy it.

You know, Austin has a great, great culture as in music scene. It's got a good night life. Ray Street Rainy Street is yeah, six Streets a bit too young for me now, so I kind of hang out a Rainy Street if I do go out at all, kind of a homebody lately. Um, but yeah, I really like, really like Texas. Have you been to Terry Black's barbecue? I haven't. I'm not a big barbecue guy. You know. That's hard to be, you know, in Texas and not be a barbeque guy. So what do you eat down there?

By the way, how did you and your your fiance decided in Austin? So I went to obviously Samuson State, which is a little bit north of Houston. Um, small town. We went out there, and I want to say New Year's Eve, my first year in college, all sick in. You and I had a great time obviously you two is a huge, huge university, a lot of young people, and I had a lot of a lot of fun. Um. And then when my FANSI was coming out of college, Um,

she needed to find a job. She's a nurse and and Austin had an opening and we said, let's do it. We went out there. I can't get over the barbecue thing. You lived in Texas for how many years including um, about for or four including school? Yeah? And how many years? Five? Now? Okay, so you've been there five years and you've you just don't like it, like, what don't you like about it? So I don't like it? Um, I just don't need it all the time, you know, I can I understand

I don't need it all the time. Are you Are you a fish guy? Oh yeah, I like a bit of sushi, um, a lot of sushi. Um, big Mexican food guy? Are you okay? Because well, we don't really have it in Australia and if you do, it's too fancy and they charge you a lot. I'm more about like a hole in the wall Mexican food. But I do know that a corona is really expensive Australia. Everything is expensive in Asia. I know that too, but I know coronas are extremely expensive compared to here. Yes, yeah,

like taxi and everything. You guys drink I pas over there have been done there. Um yeah you know all all of you guys. Well we'll venture out to that. But okay, UM, so you got some news. What can you tell us about your recent engagement and wedding plants? Um? Yes, So we we went and got engaged in Australian Laru, which is um pretty pretty special place for Australia in general. Um, not much out there other than a huge huge rock if you want to google it. Really, Hey, what's your

name again? All the Aru or airs Rock depending what you want to type in both will work or eds as rock Kada state with an accident. Okay, how's your American accent gotting any better since being here? Try? And then we want to hear about the proposal too. Yeah. I try not to work on it too much because every time I go home, you know, I'll get flak for it. People are like, what are you doing? Yeah, yeah, you're Australian, Yeah exactly, all right, so you're at the rock? Um?

Yeah it was. And it was in my pocket all weekend, you know, a week and I couldn't find the right time to do it because it's pretty. You can't really wear nice clothes and get a good photo because it's so hot. It was about forty degrees celsius every day, which is a hundred and tennish thousands of flyes. So we're in a fly net. Not ideal for a girl to put up on Instagram of a photo you know,

we're going to fly. So I did the best I could, um, and it got to the stage where I was like, all right, if I don't do it now I'm not going to do it on this trip. So um, yeah, I just got down on the knee said will you marry me? And she said absolutely? And it worked out well. But you wanted to do it at home as I wanted to do it in Australia. Yeah, brought the ring over here and then we did it over there. So

it's probably too expensive over there, probably, you know. Just so what are what are the plants where you guys getting married? Getting married in Hawaii? Um, you know, halfway between Australia in Texas. Alisa has a bit of family from Hawaii, so it's gonna work out pretty well. Um, it'll get my my family a trip to Hawaii too. So have they ever been? They haven't? Have you? I have been? Um yet I have. My first year in the league, we went out to Hawaii. Okay, No, So

I'm thinking about this. Is she a native Texas? She is from Corpus Christie, Yes, Corpus Christie. So how her dad to handle this? When you asked him, Hey, you did be So I remember having this conversation with you. You were talking about it. Yeah, I was surprising. Um, he was super happy about it. And you know, originally you know, you never you don't know how they're gonna react you because you's thinking maybe he's going to try and steal my daughter away to Australia one day. Yeah,

I guess, I guess I didn't think about that. Part is you're not like you know somewhere in the States you happen to be. Yeah. Yeah, it's very it's one side of the world or the other. Um no, it was great. Um, I just had to chat on the phone because there was no way I could drive three as the corpse Christy without you know, setting off alarm bells or something with with Ali. So called him a couple of days before we went went to Australia and um,

how to chat and it's super happy about it. No, he's unfortunately Cowboys fan too, so okay, so he most loved Week six. Yeah, he came out here. He had to wear a Jets Jase though Ali didn't let him work. He was so fortunately enough for him, he didn't get you know, Jets fans worked out, so he did him a favor. What have you found your Okay? So I know Australia has a couple of like native food, mainly the meat pie. Have you found the meat pie out here or something that reminds you of home, you can't

so you can't get it um shipped and frozen out here. Um. I haven't done it yet, but Ali learned when she was back in Australia how to make sausage roll. Um. I don't expect you to know what it is. It's kind of it's kind of like a meat in a pastry rolled up. It's kind of like it like a pig in a blanket. Yeah better, Um, I'm not a big hot dog, guys. Sorry that the pig in blanket isn't great? Uh? Ok yeah right that barbecue. No pigs

in a blanket? Yeah, this is crazy destination wedding. But you guys was probably gonna be rather big or small. We're hoping it's not too big, of course. Um, we'll see, you know, we're still getting our se pace. We'll see. I gotta ask this, okay, so very recently, just get a game winner from Sam faking a forty four yard or what? What is your property? You are the holder. You are a key part of the operation. Everybody talks about operation out there in terms of field goals and

extra points. But I don't think people's minds registered to oh Hennessee Lachlan, they're the big deal incorporated in all this. What do you do one on the sideline? Is what any situation when the Jets are moving down the field and you know, okay, not only maybe we're going for a game winner here, but maybe it's a game winner time explorers. Um, yes, I went whenever the offense on the field, will me and Tom will be getting snaps of some sort, you know, depending where we are on

the field. As soon as we crossed the fifty, we start to get field goal snaps, um, And yeah, it's just trying to keep a lid on it. You know, we didn't know what we're gonna do with time out its whether it was a Harry Harry field goal or was a um a milk it And we just went down there. We were watching the whole time. We'll get a snap every now and then. It's just trying to keep it a lid on your emotions and and just do what you've practiced. You know a couple of thousand times.

Was that your second game winning field goal that it held for almost Chandler against Jet Jaguars and um, yeah, this is the second one. But but is it like baseball in terms of when a guy's really going he's got a no hitter. The old superstition is don't talk to so before vickens about to get out there? Is it just you and Hennessey talk and you leave that dude alone because you know he's just got to go through his prep being his own zone. Absolutely, I'll leave

him alone. Um. The worst thing you ever say, you know, he's say it in college all the time is the same position players go up and start talking to the kicker, and this is leave him alone. You know this is this is his moment um. So yeah, I'll just run out, you know, give him pound my back, let's go, and you know he need he put it through. How do you keep your hands and fingers from not getting too cold or too nervous like sweaty palms or anything like that.

I actually really like holding. Um, isn't that a learned trait from you? Like when you came in the league. Have you did you hold up to that date? I hadn't held in a game. Um, but I how to practice. I got through throughout college. But you know, having to learn to hold to for Nick Faulkes he's pretty picky with these holds, so he helped me a lot. Um him and Tanna went my first year. They took me on the wing and show me the ripes and not now Tom. Tom's out. He's a great snapper. Sorry, he

makes it makes it easy. But you're one of the few guys in the stadium. Am I correct on? This is that you got to keep your head down. So when he's kicking a ball, are you just waiting to hear the reaction or to stay up? And you can time it perfectly where you finally see the ball. So I usually don't see the bowl until it's through the three projects in my spot. Um, and then because you've got the line in front of nice while stand up. Sorry, I can usually tell from how Sam is if we

make it or not. Ah, do you remember what you said to me yesterday? I mean after you, I don't know. I got my hug and I want to know. This time of year, obviously it gets chilly up here in New Jersey and in the Northeast. As a specialist, sometimes you have a little extra time on your hands up practice. Are you freezing during practice? Um? Well, you know if we're indos we'll go outside and we'll actually get some work in the cold, and um, you know, try to

get used to it as much as you can. It's kind of hard to get used to the weather because it's so different every game. Um, but we'll get out there and get some snaps and stuff. But we'll try to get we'll try to keep warm, and we'll just bundle up once we're done without part of the practice. But for the most part, we actually stay pretty active throughout the day. How close are you dudes? You went Hennessey, You've been together for a while and then you had

to bring the new guy in. You guys have really been through a lot this year. Talking about adversity on the team, adversity on the field goal team, I mean you work with every kicker, uh, this side of the Mississippi. I fell like, well, yeah, this is um if you look at it, this a fifth kicker I've had in

four years. Um, second this season. Or if you don't even want to like in the active see you know, yeah, Um, first year was Nick Fogg, then we went Channel and Jason and then now we've got Sam as well as the Vic earlier in the year. Sorry, Um, it's really me and me and Tom we've got a pretty good sink and um, you know, I'm pretty confident we can we can help any any kicker that comes in here. Um. And you know, as soon as I come out the door, it's like, how mane, what kind of holds you like?

How do you like it? And they'll tell me what they want. I'm like, all right, well, what's this work on it? How many different kinds of holds are there? Because I feel like, to e as point, fans focus on two things, very black and white. Is it in or is it out? And they don't think about the operation, the snap, the hold, but even within that, like how many different kinds of holds are there? So it comes down to the preference of the kicker obviously. So a lot of guys will want a bit of a lean

on it towards me, not towards them. Um. And some guys I want to straight up and down. Nick Folk was was interesting. He had he didn't want to give up the uprights, so he had me lean the ball according to the wind. So you tell me I want a large lean here or a small lean or a medium lean, um, you know, and then you've got to find the spot with that lean because you don't want to put it down and then lean it. So you're just trying to make your the kicker's job as easy

it is, because it is. It is a tough job. I know, I you know, I don't. I'm not jealous of his job at all. You know, it's a touch job. What about the weight program for a guy was constantly booting throughout the year, not yet given any away trade secrets from justice or anybody, but how much legs do you deal in the off season and then how much do you have to do? You'll scale back a little bit during the season. Majority of our leg strength work

comes in the off season. You're trying to put on some weight because as the season goes on, you're not you're kind of maintaining, but you're still losing a bit of it. Um, So you're trying to put on as much strength as you can in the off season without losing flexibility and you know, leg speed and stuff. So it's a pretty fine balance. Um, there's not really too

much science to it. Oh that might be I don't really know it, but um, we'll lift, we'll lift legs heavy basically once a week or not we'll do some accessory lifts as well as your main like squat or or box jump or something like that. But for the most part, you're trying to to stay in you you're kicking, just trying to keep your legs fresh and keep kicking well over the strength wise of it. You much of Valentine Holmes before. He was on the praise of squad

for a while. Now he's gone back. He's gonna play in the Rugby League again, I believe. Um, what about the legend of him? Is that real? Like? How big is he in Australia? I mean, he's a superstar. He went he went back and he signed a what a six year contract within two days? So um, he was he was snapped up pretty quickly when he got back. Um. I unfortunately I didn't see his career because I had got to America when he started. So, I mean's basically

all of his career. But until he got here, did you have friends back home tell you that he was coming here? Like how did you hear of it? And had you heard of him prior to him walking through the doors? I had it so my parents, Um I skyped them once a week. Um, and you know they told they basically tell me everything that's going on, because I try to shout out most of this stuff m

that doesn't really pertain to me or you know. Um, they told me that he was coming over and and then I did some radio shows in Australia that they you know, they they were going crazy every Yeah. Sorry. They did a couple of um, a couple of crews follow him throughout the preseason. I feel like, who came from Australia and to follow him? And he got that sense. Did he reach out to you when he came over

and said hey luck? He did? Yeah, So I gave him a ride to to practice for um a couple of weeks until he you know, he figured out he's traveling stuff and we were living in the same building. So um, great guy. Yeah great. Uh, his wife's cool, him and her and all. He got on really well. So it was a good little mix. And you know, I hope he hoping, you know, all the best for the future. Yeah. He always seemed like a very very

humble guy, like what was the story. He didn't tell any of the running backs or anyone on the team like who he was, so you could you could have spoiled a lot for him. You could have been like, hey, I know you guys are cool. You know this is and he he just didn't want any of that. So yeah, he's a great guy. How many games have your family? You're one of three boys, Uh, had an opportunity to

actually see you play professionally. Professionally, they've my mom and dad have seen me play too, and they were seen against Jacksonville and Miami home games and we won both of them. Sorry because they gotta keep on comment. That's right. Yeah, Miami game was at like the second week of the season or what it was a super hot one. He it was Miami. Yeah, we crushed him my home and then Jacksonville went to over time and channel at the

game winner. So what about your brothers? They got to come to more games, by the way, if they're two at all, Yeah, yeah, definitely. Um, they came to some college games, my last my senior day and a game after that. And they haven't been able to make out since you know, you're just working and stuff and they're getting married and my the middle brother and now I has a kid and yeah, and then I would was probably getting married and much so I can go home

for that Sorry, a lots going on. It's gonna you're gonna have a busy offseason. What um, what do they do? Your brothers ells brothers of coppenter Um middle brother is a mining engineer. Dad's coppenter and mom works for the Cause Guide, which is a part of the big newspaper in Australia. So if you ever buy over here, would you have your dad and your brother come over and work on the floors. That's what the first thing I would think about is that I got a carpenter in

the family. My pops can handle this and my brother can handle this. Yeah, likely we got a half already. That was um. They built it for us and that was all that. Sorry, I didn't have to do to my still, but I'm pretty handy, I think myself. Um, I can do some of that. I was. I was a labor for two years and then went to college in Australia and it was a bottend or not. I've done a couple of stuff and I know my way around. It was a little bit Wow the bartender this first

st I've heard of that. Uh, how much did you? No? No? In Australia, I wasn't able to work at sam us and this with a visa and visa rules and how much did you enjoy with it? Oh? I didn't Yeah you didn't know. I mean bartending you a bad hours. And yeah, I'm sure you've you've seen some interesting things. Yeah, you know, just yeah. And what part of Australia did you Um, we're so where I was at university? I was in Ballarat um so I was bartending at a

horse race track. Oh yeah, um, and yeah I was basically a brick layers labor for two years as well before that. And yeah, I mean that was a great hours either. But it was good, you know, good money and paid the bills. Yeah. Now you're kicking footballs. Yeah, it's come a long way from bart that's a very interesting background brick Huh. Well, I wasn't doing any of the science of stuff. I was just carrying stuff around and making making cement and stuff. That's pretty sweet. Now.

How big is your place in Austin? Is that an apartment or is it you got a house? We got a house? Yeah? Um? Is it right in city limits or now it's a little north. It's between Austin and ran Rock. Um. Austin's booming, so it's pretty it's pretty expensive about there. Now. Sorry, you gotta try and find a spot where it's not too crazy. Um has a lot going on there. It's kind of like the tech capital of Texas. I think. Sorry, Yeah, I went to Austin a couple of months ago. I didn't know that

quickly you quickly realized. I also didn't know there was homeless, large homeless um contingency in Austin too. Yeah, I'll start to see that a lot around the whole country. It's to see the discarpency and no doubt about that. Well you got anything else, No, you're gonna end it up talking about the homeless. We gotta get we gotta get, we gotta we gotta get back, and we gotta help people. What give us something that that you missed from Australia

that you think America should adopt. Oh and don't say meat pies? No what? Um? That is a good quite and I wish I had the time to think about it. Um probably just be a little more easy going, I guess relaxed. I think that's uh. I don't know that typically you think, but typically, um, you would say that that that people appear a little bit more uptight maybe aggressive?

Is that because do you say easy going? I'm thinking about the opposite though, Yeah, yeah, I would say that with that saying that, you know, yeah, I'll just I'll try to be more relaxed. I think in terms of you know, walking down the street, if you know someone's in your height, it's like, oh you know, you're sorry mate? Yeah yeah, oh yeah, no that doesn't happen. Yeah, it happen. I think that's more of a Northeast thing though, that

in America. Do you well, he lives in Texas. Yeah, I know, but don't you think in Texas is at least a little easier to you? I guess, um, speed limits are a bit higher out there too. You. I guess where's a good spot? I mean, this is a beautiful country. But if people are going to go travel to Australia, um, where do you suggest they stuff? Well, I'm from I'm from a little bit south of Melbourne.

So Melbourne's great for like sporting capital of Australia basically, Um, but you got to hit Sydney, of course, got to hit Melbourne, and then I would say the whole East Coast is great? Is that the Gold Coast? Gold Coast is a bit north of Sydney. Um, and then above that is like Cape Tribulation and um, the Great Batteref and stuff up there, so awesome spots. Um, you can see a lot as you know, you've got tropics, you've got deserts. You know, you've got mountain ranges if you

want kangaroos. Um. How often do you flow back to Australia? Hopefully once a year, once a year, and then you typically stay for a long a couple of weeks, um, you know, hopefully three. But she kind of depends on training and what else is going on over here? What Ireland are getting married on? Um? No, no, wait, is that the big one? I think the big one is Why isn't it? I don't know, I'm not sure. Al kind of had hands off planning for the probably been trying to focus on do you know how a job?

And that's that's a smart Yeah, that's a smart move. Yeah. And that's how we'll end the Official Jets Podcast presented by aws here at the bet MGM Casito studio. Lock thanks for joining us, Thanks brother, be sure to rate us, review us. We didn't talk about Coffin Corner any of that stuff we have to get to that. It's some other time. You're right, YouTube, SoundCloud, Apple podcast rate US, review us, leave questions, maybe we'll answer them. Uh, new

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