Former Rabbitohs under 20 star Jordan Mailata has impressed in his starting regular-season debut for the Philadelphia Eagles, earning positive reviews in their 25-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Mailata was inserted into the starting line-up at left tackle, replacing 9 time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro tackle Jason Peters after he suffered a toe injury.
Peters left a major hole in the Eagles offensive line for Mailata to fill, having been named in the NFL's team of the decade for the 2010s
MORE: Who is Jordan Mailata?
However, the 23-year-old had an immediate impact on the match, producing the all-important block to help quarterback Carson Wentz scramble for the first touchdown of the game.
No. 68 - Jordan Mailata already making an impression for the #Eagles pic.twitter.com/hGUGgqbGXt
— Patrick Djordjevic (@patdjordjevic) October 5, 2020
Not for nothing, @jordan_mailata blocked two guys on that @cj_wentz td run
— Lee Russakoff (@LeeRussakoff) October 5, 2020
The 348-pound (157kg) tackle wasn't flawless, giving up a crucial false start penalty as the Eagles looked set to drive down the field for points.
Despite this, his performance recieved widespread praise across social media, with former offensive lineman and 3x Pro Bowler Tra Thomas lauding his effort.
Other then the False Start Jordan Mailata has been doing a good job.
— Tra Thomas (@72TraThomas) October 5, 2020
Don't let the false start penalty fool you, Jordan Mailata has played really well in his first NFL start so far.#Eagles
— Thomas R. Petersen 🦅 (@thomasrp93) October 5, 2020
So far so good for my guy Jordan Mailata!
— Ross Tucker (@RossTuckerNFL) October 5, 2020
Technique could use some work but he is absolutely getting the job done. 👍 https://t.co/t2gJzTz6Pc
Mailata was not the only Australian in the match, with Cameron Johnson (Eagles) and Mitch Wishnowsky (49ers) lining up as the respective punters.
Johnson had a solid night with the boot, averaging 51.2 metres per punt with three inside the 20.
Wishnowsky also recorded four punts for an average of 44.3, with two punts landing inside the 20.