The NFL’s big debut in Australia isn’t going quite as planned. While the designated home-team Rams aren’t even landing until Thursday, the San Francisco 49ers arrived a week early to build goodwill. They spent the rest of the week doing damage control by attending public events, but a bizarre hotel hospitality blunder triggered yet another online wave of outrage down under. Now, tight end George Kittle is stepping in to clean the mess.

The 49ers were already facing heavy criticism from the locals due to defensive lineman Nick Bosa’s indifferent response to the trip, saying he didn’t know much about the Country. Then, during the 49ers’ arrival at the Park Hyatt in Melbourne, they were welcomed by Charlie, the resident canine ambassador. A TV segment jokingly pointed out how the dog on site couldn’t seem to get any attention from the stars, leading to online criticism.

“A lot of us stopped to give the really nice doggo pets. Some of us went back multiple times. Charlie is a very good boy,” wrote George Kittle on X.

Amid the online reaction, George Kittle’s X post offered a much lighter glimpse into the team’s Australian experience. The tight end referred to Charlie and suggested that rather than simply greeting the dog, they even had repeated visits to Charlie, who was wearing a custom 49ers jersey.

But the interaction offered a totally different picture of the players’ reception in Australia, with the team getting an enthusiastic welcome despite the online criticism.

“You all had one job to say ‘Can I pet that dog?’” wrote one fan on X.

The 49ers had a perfect chance to have a moment with the dog, as per the fan.

“Apparently, the 49ers have no dog lovers. This is a pathetic display of humanity for the good boy. I hope they lose the game by double digits, and I’ve been a 49ers faithful for a long time. B***!” wrote another fan.

One 49ers fan pointed out how the team ignored or did not properly acknowledge the dog. The backlash became more noticeable with one longtime 49ers fan himself claiming to be a longtime 49ers faithful, but also suggesting that behaviour was enough to make them root against their own team.

“Lynch was like I ain’t touching that dog,” one more fan wrote.

The joke extended to 49ers GM John Lynch as one fan singled out Lynch, who seemed to avoid the furry distraction, as wanting to do nothing with the dog.

“Most embarrassing moment of the offseason for the 49ers…,” wrote one more fan.

One fan went a step further. Given the 49ers’ already eventful 2026 offseason, this fan comment was clearly tongue-in-cheek, turning the unusual moment into another reason for the locals to poke fun at the franchise.

“Kyle took a step toward Charlie to greet then Charlie stepped away…no food in his hand,” wrote one fan humorously.

The comment highlights how Charlie backed off just as Kyle Shanahan moved towards him, prompting fans to joke that the dog was only interested if the 49ers coach had something to offer. The humor just showed how fans were closely analyzing even the smallest details of the interaction.

The viral hotel lobby snub stands in stark contrast to how the city is actually embracing the franchise. According to the NFL, the 49ers are Australia’s most popular team, and local fans have proven it by swarming the team’s hotel, snapping photos at a fresh red-and-gold mural in Melbourne’s iconic Hosier Lane, and loudly teasing visiting media that “there are no Rams fans here.”

To top it off, the franchise quietly organized a massive cheerleading event in Fed Square, setting a world record for the largest synchronized pom-pom dance with 1,424 participants. For a team carrying its brand across the globe for the first time, these major fan moments reveal an Australian fanbase that is deeply invested, which only makes every minor misstep under the media spotlight get analyzed that much harder.

With the historic MCG clash approaching, the players’ friendly encounters may provide entertaining headlines, but the real test will come when they step onto the field. The game is scheduled for September 11 against the Los Angeles Rams at the MCG.