SOUTHERN NSW AFL development manager Marc Geppert believes the AFL community camps have been a huge boost for the game in the region.
Sydney Swans players Nick Smith, Harry Cunningham, Zak Jones and Lewis Melican spent the past two day visiting schools and hospitals across the Riverina.
It followed on from the Giants’ community camps last weekend.
Geppert believes the visits play an important part in growing the game in the Riverina.
“We’re very grateful to be able to get the Sydney Swans down here through the Australia Post Community Camps,” Geppert said.
“To have the GWS Giants down here last week, and then the Sydney Swans this week, it’s huge for the region.
“It helps a lot with out recruitment at the start of the year and seeing as though we don’t have a NAB Challenge game here this year, to have two community camps, it’s helps us to a great start.”
Geppert said the regional towns were the big winners.
"I think the biggest positive out of the two visits were that a lot of smaller regional towns have been able to be apart of it,” he said.
“The kids absolutely loved it, especially at small country towns like Marrar, to see how excited they were and getting something out of it, that’s what it’s about.”
