Strops initially swung by Aussie, say… (6)

I believe the answer is:

soccer

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'say' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't understand how one could define the other.

I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for soccer that I've seen before include "American football?" , "Association football" , "popular game" , "Roy Keane's game" , "... players playing this (colloquially)" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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