THEY are the ultimate project players - young men who haven't grown up on Australian football, who move to a strange country to learn a totally foreign sport.
As well as leaving friends and family, these hopeful and determined athletes must quickly learn the basics of football - kicking, handballing, marking and tackling, to name just a few aspects.
Then there's the issue of physically being able to handle the training standards of such an aerobically-demanding sport. North's US rookie Eric Wallace described his initiation into AFL as a 'beautiful struggle' earlier this year.
These imports need time to develop, but in the cut-throat world of AFL football, often don't receive it.
All gifted athletes, they are classic cases of high-risk, high-reward investments. For every Jimmy Stynes and Tadhg Kennelly, there are many, many more busts.
But that doesn't stop some clubs rolling the dice on these international project players. The Sydney Swans, Brisbane Lions, and Carlton would be extremely grateful they took calculated gambles on Mike Pyke, Pearce Hanley and Zach Tuohy respectively.
AFL.com.au takes a look at how the international rookies and scholarship holders are faring as the half-way point of the season approaches.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
GWS offered an international scholarship to Danish footballer Aksel Bang earlier this year. Bang discovered the game during a visit to Australia two years ago and starting playing in his homeland. He developed quickly, voted the best player at the 2012 Euro Cup. Last month, during a scheduled break from national service in Afghanistan, Bang came to Australia to train with the club for two weeks and also took part in a game with the reserves, kicking two behinds. "It was great to train with them," he said. "It's so different from what we're used to back in Europe." - James Dampney
HAWTHORN
The Hawks will next year add New Zealanders Kurt Heatherley and Shem Tatupu as international rookies, having recruited and developed both through the NZ scholarship program. On previous form Heatherley has been rated a potential top 20 draft pick were he not committed to Hawthorn, but he has been sidelined in 2013 by hip surgery. He is aiming for a late-season return. Tatupu, an enormous key forward prospect, is finishing school in Auckland but spending school holidays at Waverley Park. He played two games for the Oakleigh Chargers during a visit earlier this year, booting two goals in each. - Mark Macgugan
Hawthorn's Shem Tatupu has shown some promise as a key position player. Picture: AFL Media
MELBOURNE
The Demons became the second club after Hawthorn to sign a New Zealander to an international scholarship when it signed 18-year-old Maia Westrupp in February after recruiting manager Jason Taylor identified the midfield prospect during an AFL combine. The 187cm and 75kg Westrupp has played the past three games for Casey seconds in the AFL Victoria development league. His tackling prowess is obvious as he gathers experience playing in defence. It's early days but he is athletic and working at improving his skills with assistant coaches Leigh Brown and Paul Satterley. - Peter Ryan
Melbourne scholarship holder Maia Westrupp has impressed with his tackling. Picture: AFL Media
NORTH MELBOURNE
The Roos only have one international rookie on their list – American Eric Wallace. The 197cm, 102kg big man is the ultimate project player, but has proved a quick learner and hard worker since joining North last December. A minor knee injury sidelined the former college basketballer from the VFL's first five rounds, but he has since resumed with North Ballarat's reserves team as a ruck/forward. Wallace has played his best football in the ruck, where he's been able to get involved in the play more than the forward line. Game sense, body work and aerobic fitness are the areas Wallace has to work on if he's going to make it as AFL footballer. North development coach John Lamont is hopeful Wallace will be pushing to play senior VFL football by the end of this season. Wallace is contracted to the end of 2014 and Lamont is looking forward to seeing what he can do next year after a full pre-season. - Nick Bowen
RICHMOND
The Tigers this year relocated Papau New Guinean small forward Gideon Simon to Punt Road as an international scholarship holder. After spending three months at the club last year, he is now embedded at Tigerland and working hard on his tackling, speed and kicking inside 50. Simon has played the majority of his football in the development league, pushing up for two senior VFL games. "He's a real character and the boys have embraced him," development coach Tim Clarke said. "The biggest thing that will get him games is intensity around the ball in the forward line. That's improved a lot but it's still not at the level it needs to be." – Nathan Schmook
ST KILDA
On the Saints' trip to New Zealand to play the Sydney Swans on Anzac Day, they needed just 15 minutes to identify the athletic potential of Porirua teenager Joe Baker-Thomas. The younger brother of a Hurricanes' development squad member, Baker-Thomas is 193cm and 87kg and has what the Saints believe is a body shape well suited to Australian rules. Although he had only played the game for a month back then in April, St Kilda head of football Chris Pelchen identified Baker-Thomas as possessing "the basic elements you look for in a footballer" after watching him play in the New Zealand under-18 championships in the lead-up to Anzac Day. He has been signed as an international scholarship holder for the club. - Jennifer Phelan
