ARTICLE COURTESY OF COFFS COAST ADVOCATE

By Brad Greenshields

WIDE-eyed students couldn’t contain their excitement yesterday as the Sydney Swans hit town.

Captain Adam Goodes, along with team-mate Gary Rohan, held students at St Augustine’s and Tyalla spellbound

“The kids’ attention was fantastic and they asked great questions,” Goodes said.

“Even better was a lot of hands went up when we asked who barracked for the Swans or who has played AFL or watched it on TV.”

Fellow Swans players Shane Mumford and Lewis Johnston were also out visiting schools in the area yesterday as part of the AFL’s annual Community Camps program that sees every club spend time in regional areas.

If the reception the players received at the primary schools was upbeat, what they got from 120 enthusiastic junior AFL players at yesterday’s Super Clinic held at the Coffs Coast Leisure Park was simply awesome.

Endless sheets of paper were offered up to be signed by the AFL quartet after young fans were shown some of the finer points of the game by the Swans boys.

“The big message we’re trying to push is first sign-up to a local football club and secondly, come and watch us play,” the dual Brownlow medallist said.

If yesterday’s response is any guide, crowd numbers may be on the increase in Sydney very soon.