But imagine making it less than two months after you first set foot onto a rugby league field.

That was the challenge Dubbo Macquarie captain-coach John Grey set young Mason Manu recently and the 18-year-old passed with flying colours.

Mason, the younger brother of Group 11 and Western Division forward Moses Manu, only arrived in Australia about eight weeks ago after growing up in Palos Verdes, Los Angeles.

Like his older brother he made his name playing American Football but having not seen Moses for a number of years, he made the call to move to Dubbo to live.

And Macquarie were only too happy to accommodate the youngster who, like his 27-year-old brother, lacks for nothing in the size department.

Mason cut his teeth off the bench in Greg Edwards' under-18s side for a few weeks before Grey used him off the bench in the first grade fixture against Narromine a fortnight ago.

"There's a few things we need to iron out in Mason but gee whiz he's going to be good," Grey said.

"I've seen guys that have played a lot of rugby union that haven't adapted to league as quick as Mason has and he comes from an American Football background.

"He's not there by any stretch but with 'Mo' teaching him some things at home and the work Greg Edwards and myself will do with him at training he's going to end up being something."

For the Manus, football has become a way of life.

Moses cut a path through the US college system, playing for Kansas State University and being scouted by NFL teams.

Mason’s gridiron career ended at high school level, but he was a highly-touted youngster in both the tight end and linebacker positions.

That’s bad news for opposition teams because it means the kid can run, catch and tackle.

“I really enjoyed the American Football but I did play a bit of rugby at high school as well and I loved it,” Mason said.

“I hadn’t seen Moses for a lot of years. He was my idol when I was a kid growing up back in the States and I was keen to see him again so I decided to move out to Dubbo.

“Playing rugby league is something different for me. It’s not like anything I’ve done before but I’m really enjoying it.

“I didn’t expect to get into first grade so quickly but to get the opportunity to play a game with Moses was amazing.”

For their part, Moses and his partner Hayley have taken Mason under their collective wing.

The youngster lives with them and their young son Kobe and has picked up some work in order to pay his way.

“We told him that he would need to earn some money because you don’t make a career out of football out here,” Moses said.

“But he’s a really level-headed kid. He knows what he has to do and it’s great to have him here.

“He’s picked rugby league up really quickly. I watch him play and see things that he still hasn’t got up to speed with but it won’t take him long.

“He was only young when I left the States to come to Australia so it was a pretty cool thing to be able to run out onto Apex Oval and play with him. Our family is all pretty pumped about it.”