49ers Return 6 Injured Players to Practice Ahead of Rams Game in Melbourne

Q: Could a looming 2027 scheduling clash with the AFL completely derail the NFL's grand expansion plans Down Under?

No — the 2027 AFL clash looks more like a serious scheduling obstacle than a fatal blow to the NFL’s Australia push. The problem is real. The NFL wants Melbourne games in Week 1 of its regular season, arguing the long haul from the U.S. makes an early-season slot most practical. But in 2027 the AFL season has been pushed back because the MCG will host the 150th anniversary Ashes Test in mid-March, which in turn pushes AFL finals deeper into September and the Grand Final to Oct. 2. That puts the NFL’s preferred September window on a collision course with AFL finals at the MCG. The AFL has little incentive to move. The MCG is central to its finals model, and Australian reports say the league does not want to shift finals to Marvel Stadium or Geelong just to accommodate the NFL. That makes the NFL’s preferred date and venue far less certain than this year. Still, the broader expansion plan is not hanging on one weekend. NFL executive Peter O’Reilly has publicly said the league expects to find a “good solution” with the AFL and MCG, and the NFL’s deal with Visit Victoria is flexible enough that not every year is guaranteed at the same scale or on the same date. Reports indicate the arrangement guarantees multiple games over several years, not an immovable annual MCG Week 1 slot. If 2027 cannot be staged at the MCG on opening weekend, the likely outcome is adjustment — a different Melbourne date, a different venue, or a skipped year — not abandonment of Australia.

3 articles · Updated · The San Francisco Standard · Sep 7

Six previously injured 49ers — including Renardo Green, Jack Jones and Jacob Cowing — returned to practice Monday in Melbourne, with rookie defensive tackle James Thompson Jr. the only player clearly limited to rehab work.
Kyle Shanahan said the team already feels good after arriving early from San Francisco, a contrast with the Rams, who are due in Australia only about 24 hours before the game.
Nick Bosa was not visible during the media-open portion of practice, but team video showed him at the walk-through as he continues managing knee tendinitis; George Kittle appeared to work at full speed.
The 49ers expect strong support at the 100,000-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground for Friday's matchup, which kicks off at 10:35 a.m. local time — billed as the earliest start in NFL history.