Mason Cox

In the [[2018 AFL finals series#First preliminary final (Richmond vs. Collingwood)|2018 Preliminary Final]] against [[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]], he played a man-of-the-match performance, kicking three goals consecutively and taking many contested marks; Bruce McAvaney remarked "what has Collingwood unleashed" when talking about Mason's performance.<ref>[https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/mason-coxs-incredible-threegoal-quarter-puts-collingwood-in-the-box-seat-against-richmond/news-story/229c209f3a32baa734cd7c0c15205b30 Mason Cox’s incredible three-goal quarter puts Collingwood in the box seat against Richmond] by Tom Morris from Fox Sports September 21, 2018</ref>

In the [[2018 AFL finals series#First preliminary final (Richmond vs. Collingwood)|2018 Preliminary Final]] against [[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]], he played a man-of-the-match performance, kicking three goals consecutively and taking many contested marks; Bruce McAvaney remarked "what has Collingwood unleashed" when talking about Mason's performance.<ref>[https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/mason-coxs-incredible-threegoal-quarter-puts-collingwood-in-the-box-seat-against-richmond/news-story/229c209f3a32baa734cd7c0c15205b30 Mason Cox’s incredible three-goal quarter puts Collingwood in the box seat against Richmond] by Tom Morris from Fox Sports September 21, 2018</ref>

In the [[2018 AFL Grand Final|2018 Grand Final]], he kicked two goals during the third quarter and took many contested marks while playing in Collingwood's loss.<ref>[https://www.theringer.com/sports/2018/9/28/17912906/mason-cox-australian-rules-football-legend A Former Oklahoma State Basketball Backup Has Emerged As Australian Rules Football’s Randy Moss, Mason Cox is an Aussie national treasure—and an American sporting icon] By Rodger Sherman for The Ringer September 28, 2018</ref> He also dominated in its one-point elimination final win against West Coast in the [[2020 AFL finals series]].<ref>[https://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/id/30027639/mihocek-cox-star-magpies-stun-eagles-elimination-final Mihocek, Cox star as Magpies stun Eagles] from ESPN October 3, 2020</ref>

In the [[2018 AFL Grand Final|2018 Grand Final]], he kicked two goals during the second half and took many contested marks while playing in Collingwood's loss.<ref>[https://www.theringer.com/sports/2018/9/28/17912906/mason-cox-australian-rules-football-legend A Former Oklahoma State Basketball Backup Has Emerged As Australian Rules Football’s Randy Moss, Mason Cox is an Aussie national treasure—and an American sporting icon] By Rodger Sherman for The Ringer September 28, 2018</ref> He also dominated in its one-point elimination final win against West Coast in the [[2020 AFL finals series]].<ref>[https://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/id/30027639/mihocek-cox-star-magpies-stun-eagles-elimination-final Mihocek, Cox star as Magpies stun Eagles] from ESPN October 3, 2020</ref>

Cox received special dispensation from the AFL to wear prescription sunglasses in competition. Cox suffered a torn [[retina]] in one eye due to an accidental eye poke in a 2019 game against [[Gold Coast Suns]] and a detached retina in the other eye after an on-field altercation in the 2018 Grand Final. He has had six eye surgeries in his career. After the 2019 injury, Cox said he had to spend two weeks in bed in a darkened room for 45 minutes of each hour, calling it "probably the darkest moment of my life."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/collingwood-magpies/collingwoods-mason-cox-slams-disgusting-commentary-opens-up-on-lowest-moment-of-my-life/news-story/31a52a8aa1403cf58955580347120eae|title=Collingwood's Mason Cox slams 'disgusting' commentary, opens up on 'lowest moment of my life'|work=[[Fox Sports (Australia)|Fox Sports]]|first=Matthew|last=Sullivan|date=June 9, 2022}}</ref>

Cox received special dispensation from the AFL to wear prescription sunglasses in competition. Cox suffered a torn [[retina]] in one eye due to an accidental eye poke in a 2019 game against [[Gold Coast Suns]] and a detached retina in the other eye after an on-field altercation in the 2018 Grand Final. He has had six eye surgeries in his career. After the 2019 injury, Cox said he had to spend two weeks in bed in a darkened room for 45 minutes of each hour, calling it "probably the darkest moment of my life."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/collingwood-magpies/collingwoods-mason-cox-slams-disgusting-commentary-opens-up-on-lowest-moment-of-my-life/news-story/31a52a8aa1403cf58955580347120eae|title=Collingwood's Mason Cox slams 'disgusting' commentary, opens up on 'lowest moment of my life'|work=[[Fox Sports (Australia)|Fox Sports]]|first=Matthew|last=Sullivan|date=June 9, 2022}}</ref>