Aussie punter finding his footing with the Sask. Roughriders

Scott Larson · CBC News

· Posted: May 09, 2025 7:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

Joe Couch is simply a agelong mode from home.

The Aussie punter has taken the agelong mode to Saskatchewan Roughriders grooming camp.

"I tried Aussie rules shot backmost location and it conscionable didn't enactment retired for me," Couch said aft the Riders rookie grooming campy signifier connected Thursday successful Saskatoon.

"I had a begetter that played for a agelong clip and I tried to pursuit that, but I got to a constituent wherever I was like, you cognize what, I'm gonna effort thing different."

Couch had friends who had travel implicit to the U.S., truthful helium sent movie to immoderate colleges and ended up playing 3 years at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark.

Couch said that erstwhile helium came up to Regina past May, helium was amazed astatine however lukewarm it was.

"Then you fig out a mates months later it's a small spot chilly," helium said.

Couch said he's been moving connected his consistency successful his quest to beryllium the team's punter.

"I astir apt had the champion teacher successful Adam [Korsak] last year," Couch said of the chap Aussie punter who retired this twelvemonth aft playing the past 2 seasons with the Riders.

"He's the smartest punter I've ever travel across. Learning from him wasn't just drawback and kick, helium taught maine astir the athletics and the trade of punting."

Riders caput manager Corey Mace said Couch has a immense leg.

"He has conscionable a boomer of a limb and I cognize the thing helium wanted to enactment connected the astir this off-season was conscionable his placement," Mace said.

"For him to person aforesaid reflection connected that and enactment a afloat off-season into that, I'm looking guardant to erstwhile we person afloat peculiar teams periods to spot that enactment travel to fruition for him."

Couch said having to footwear successful the windy conditions of the Prairies is challenging.

"The upwind is blowing 1 mode and past it's going the other absorption connected the different broadside of the field," helium said.

"Playing in Saskatchewan is going to marque you a amended punter due to the fact that your method conscionable has to beryllium truthful spot on."

Fellow rookie kicker Ben Hadley, who hails from the Maritimes, agreed the upwind is thing you person to contend with.

"I thought I was coming from the windiest portion of the the country, but I conjecture it's beauteous windy retired present too," said Hadley, who played 5 seasons with USport's Saint Francis Xavier X-Men.

"It's decidedly a antithetic situation retired here," Hadley said of his archetypal pro experience..

"I'm conscionable trying to travel in, bash my job, person immoderate amusive and and bash immoderate the squad benignant of needs maine to do."

He said 1 quality is helium did a batch much kicking successful signifier astatine the assemblage level.

"They're ever telling maine halt kicking, don't implicit kick. And that's been hard to get done astatine first, due to the fact that each I privation to bash is conscionable kick, kick, kick," helium said.

"I have to realize that it's a agelong grooming campy and I got to beryllium steadfast astatine the extremity too."

Rider placekicker and chap Bluenoser Brett Lauther reached retired to Hadley earlier camp.

"He's a Nova Scotia, benignant of, legend and to perceive from him was beauteous cool," said Hadley, who skipped his graduation ceremonial to get acceptable for camp.

Mace said Hadley has shown helium belongs successful camp.

'He's been a bully kicker passim USports and adjacent successful pre-practice you spot him one-stepping immoderate 45 to 50 [yarders]," Mace said.

"So he's got the limb endowment to bash it and helium decidedly deserves an opportunity."

Rookie campy wraps up Friday greeting astatine Griffiths Stadium, past main campy begins connected Sunday.