HAMILTON got a visit from AFL players for a couple of hours on Wednesday, with four Geelong Cats players involved in a school football clinic at Mitchell Park.
The Cats based their community camp, which started on Tuesday, at Warrnambool with school visits and an open training session at Reid Oval, before players scattered throughout the south-west on Wednesday for more clinics.
Mark Blicavs, Jed Bews, Tyson Stengle, Jack Henry and Phoenix Foster spent an hour and a half with kids from local primary schools.
Bews told The Spectator that these opportunities to do clinics with kids were enjoyable.
“We love it, I personally love the country visits (because) I find the kids are just awesome and are eager to have fun and give it a good crack,” he said.
“Having a few boys from out this way, obviously Jezza (Jeremy Cameron) does Jezza things and I am excited for George (Stevens, who was drafted from Warrnambool), his resilience to get on the list is great.
“We love coming all the kids, signing autographs, the COVID years ruined all that.
“So, to get back out here and see the kids smile and have fun, it is why we do it.”
The Cats defender said he didn’t get any weird questions from the kids, but there were a few different autograph requests.
“I had a few kids wanting arms signed and school uniforms signed, so far they have all been pretty good,” he said.
With pre-season nearing an end and official games just weeks away, Bews said he was setting himself for a big year in the hoops.
“I have missed one session so far this pre-season because I was at a wedding, contrast that to last year when I missed a heap with knee, I had shoulder surgery as well,” he said.
“We have been able to get more work in, so we have definitely done the work and we will be a fitter team this year.
“I think there is a lot of us older guys who have enjoyed the extra work, knowing you don’t have to chase fitness at the end of the year.”
After the Hamilton clinic, the group travelled to Woolsthorpe for another session before returning to Geelong.
“Us five all came down in the one car, so we will chat on the way home about what we enjoyed and just the whole experience,” Bews said.
