WHEN Max Duffy was delisted by Fremantle in 2015, he wanted to keep playing elite sports. He didn't envision he'd end up in America doing so.

The former small forward has earned a scholarship at the University of Kentucky as a punter in 2018. 

When he left the Dockers after three games over three years, Duffy spent a year at West Perth in a bid to earn a lifeline. 

He didn't perform to the standards he wanted and considered American football more seriously. A tryout day saw former punter Tyson Beattie suggest Duffy have a serious go at it, so in March, and with the blessing of his club, Duffy paid his way to move to Melbourne and train with ProKick Australia.

It was a huge risk to resettle on the other side of the country for a dream that might not pay off. He realised it could be a serious possibility when he impressed legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban while on a training camp in the US.

"That was the moment it kind of sunk in and I thought this was going to be a realistic dream and it could actually work out," Duffy said. 

It has worked out. Duffy will be at a division one college and can finish the psychology degree he began at Curtin University in Western Australia, and will also be able to do his Masters. 

On the eve of embarking on this new path, Duffy had no regrets with how his football career panned out after being drafted at No.39 in 2012. 

The Dockers were premiership hopefuls when Duffy was there and he was battling with Hayden Ballantyne, Chris Mayne, Michael Walters and Matt de Boer for a spot in attack.

Injuries were a constant part of his time at the Dockers - four hamstring issues in his debut season, shoulder surgery that kept him out of most of 2014 and then a calf complaint in his final year at the club.

"To be honest, I think they're just excuses. I think there were plenty of other reasons I wasn't able to make it and if I was good enough, I'd still be there," Duffy said. 

"My defensive pressure probably wasn't quite up to the standard. I'd like to think I was pretty good offensively but Ross Lyon's pretty big on the defensive side of the game and mine wasn't up to scratch, and I wasn't able to make enough improvements in my three years to warrant gaining a spot." 

Duffy has requested to wear No.24 at Kentucky, the number he also wore at Freo, to honour his mate Stephen Rigg who passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest while playing cricket on January 24, 2011. 

"It opened my eyes to how fragile life is and pursue whatever you can with the most dedication and hard work that you can to make sure that you get the most out of life, because you never know when it's going to end," Duffy said.

It was that attitude that has helped him succeed in his new endeavour.

"I'd really like to thank Nathan Chapman and John Smith from ProKick Australia and really urge anyone that has dreams to pursue a college or an NFL career to get into contact with them and make sure that they do the program, because it's worthwhile, it's enjoyable and it'll change your life," Duffy said.