G'Day from Australia! | Off the Field

The San Francisco 49ers used their time in Melbourne as more than a football stopover, building an itinerary of local experiences alongside on-field work. After arriving Friday morning in Melbourne following a nearly 16-hour flight from California on Sept. 2, the team was greeted at AAMI Park, a 30,000-seat venue that served as its practice facility for the week and hosted a welcome rally for more than 2,000 young “Faithful.” The players also ran a Special Olympics flag football skills camp, then attended an Australian Football League match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The MCG’s size and noise impressed players including Deebo Samuel. Christian McCaffrey highlighted Melbourne coffee in quotes, while alumni such as Patrick Willis and Ricky Watters connected with fans.