PLAYER BIOGRAPHIES
MATTHEW GILL
Matt Gill is a 19-year-old Australian punter from Sydney, Australia. Growing up in Sydney with his parents and sister, Matt developed as an elite athlete within Australia’s highly competitive Australian Football (AFL) system, a sport known for producing strong, versatile kickers. He played for the North Shore Bombers, one of Sydney’s premier AFL clubs, and was selected for the Sydney Swans Academy, a professional development pathway comparable to an NFL team academy for elite youth talent.
Gill also represented New South Wales at the schoolboy state level, competing against the best players in the country, and represented his school at the highest tier of Sydney schoolboy AFL.
He was educated at Shore School (Sydney Church of England Grammar School), one of Australia’s leading academic and sporting institutions, where he balanced high-level athletics with rigorous academic study.
To prepare for the transition to American football, Gill relocated to Melbourne to undertake intensive, specialized punting training under Tim Gleeson at the Australian Kicking Academy.
With a background in elite competition, professional-level training, and a strong academic foundation, Matthew Gill brings, technical precision, and proven consistency as he takes the next step in his football and academic journey in the United States.
THOMAS FLINTOFF
An 18-year-old Australian punter from Melbourne's south-east, Tom developed as a high-level athlete within Australia’s renowned Australian Football League (AFL) system. Beginning his football journey for the Vermont Eagles Football Club in the Eastern Football Netball League (EFNL), his strong leg talent and physicality stood out. His development continued with selection into the Oakleigh Chargers program in the Coates Talent League in 2025, one of the premier youth pathways to professional AFL football.
His transition toward American football began unexpectedly when he was scouted by Coach Tim Gleeson during a routine training session while practicing set-shot kicking. That chance observation quickly evolved into an opportunity, and within weeks he signed with the Australian Kicking Academy (AKA), Australia’s newest elite program for punters pursuing U.S. College and NFL football pathways.
Academically, he was educated at Caulfield Grammar School, competing in the highly regarded Associated Public Schools (APS) system. He balanced elite-level sport with strong academic performance, earning a commendable ATAR. On the field, he played First XVIII football in 2024 as a full-back, competing alongside multiple future AFL players and gaining valuable experience at the highest schoolboy level.
He began formal training with the Australian Kicking Academy in August 2025, rapidly progressing under professional, specialized coaching. By late December, his development culminated in earning a full-ride FBS Division I athletic scholarship. Notably, he was the second athlete ever signed to the AKA program and the first within the program to secure a collegiate scholarship, underscoring both his rapid rise and elite potential as he prepares to continue his athletic and academic career in the United States.
