The San Francisco 49ers made a statement in the NFL's first-ever game in Australia with a Week 1 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
While the 27-7 win for the Niners will be vital in the greater picture, one could make the argument head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad absolutely dominated the public-relations battle, winning over the overwhelming majority of Australian fans—an aspect the global audience couldn't help but observe throughout the game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Several of San Francisco's players certainly noticed, too, particularly quarterback Brock Purdy.
Brock Purdy praises Australian 49ers fans for showing up big
Speaking to reporters after the game, Purdy shared just how awesome it was to have the home crowd on the 49ers' side, even though they were technically listed as the road team in front of over 100,000 fans in attendance..
"It was awesome," Purdy said. "I thought the energy the Australians had out here was really cool. They're passionate about sports."
It's ironic in several ways. First, L.A. specifically chose the Niners to be the road team to avoid yet another hostile-fan takeover at its home venue in Southern California, SoFI Stadium. On top of that, Los Angeles has marketing rights to Australia, but it's clear San Francisco is the fan-favorite squad.
Additionally, by arriving a week before the Rams did, the 49ers managed to get out into the community and win over neutral fans who hadn't pledged allegiance to either fanbase just yet.
For those showing up casually, it'd be hard not to buy into the Niners owning the "home" crowd. When Los Angeles' offense was on the field, the crowd was exponentially louder—an element that was clearly heard during the international broadcast.
"They were into it the whole time," Purdy continued. "They have their different chants with songs, and they have fun with it."
Additionally, linebacker Dre Greenlaw pointed out how the Melbourne crowd took full advantage of meeting Niners players in the leadup to the game, too, which had to go over well with the fanbase.
"I think the fact we were here a week early, everyone obviously heard about it," Purdy concluded. "We definitely felt the love from all the Australians pulling for us."
And that certainly made a massive difference during the game, forcing Los Angeles' offense into a sense of playing a road game in what effectively appeared to be a hostile environment.
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