George Hewett and Shaun Edwards are the very first Swans players to ever visit Moree and the only ones to travel this far north and west of the state for the Australia Post AFL Community Camp program.

As part of the program, Swans players will travel to various locations around NSW this week, drumming up support and participation in the game.

“It’s all about spreading the knowledge of Aussie rules and getting as many kids and adults to take part in the game as we can,” Hewett said.

Having grown up on a farm in Port Broughton, South Australia, Hewett said it’s great to be in Moree.

“I’m really enjoying the company so far,” he said.

“It reminds me on home and being on the farm. It’s good to explore outside Sydney; the furthest west I’d been was Tamworth.”

Hewett and Edwards kicked off their Moree visit with a meet and greet with Moree Plains Shire councillors and Moree Suns sponsors at council chambers on Monday afternoon.

They will then run a number of training sessions with local schools and Moree Suns Auskick, junior and senior players on Tuesday.

At 12.40pm they’ll be at Moree Secondary College Carol Street campus before heading to the Albert Street campus at 2pm, followed by the session with local club players at Taylor Oval at 4pm.

As well as learning basic AFL skills and drills, any budding AFL players will have the opportunity to talk to the Swans about pathways into the sport professionally.

AFL development program leader Sonia Martin said the visit is a great opportunity for the Moree Suns AFL Club.

“For the club that are doing so much work, it’s sharing a bit of support to the locals that are doing the hard yards,” she said.

“They’ll be getting into the schools and unashamedly recruiting.”

The Moree Suns are hoping to boost their junior numbers this season with plans for two sides – an U17s boys side and U14s mixed team. 

They also hope to attract more women for a women’s competition this year.

“[The visit] will boost our numbers hopefully and show that we’re committed to keeping the club going and hopefully expanding numbers in our juniors to eventually pull up to senior level,” Moree Suns president Tina Macey said.

“It’ll also hopefully boost our numbers in the women’s side.

“It’s really good that these guys can come all this way.”

Ms Macey also hopes the Swans visit might be an incentive for more sponsors to come on board and support the club, which is here to stay.

“That’s what we struggle with, trying to convince sponsors that we’re staying and not going anywhere,” she said.