Brad Fittler and a host of other rugby league greats rolled into Moree on Sunday, February 17 as part of the Hogs for the Homeless tour.
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Fittler, Nathan Hindmarsh, Danny Buderus, Mark Hughes, Beau Scott, Mark O’Meley, Ian Schubert and Jillaroo Kezie Apps were among those who stopped in.
Their first pit-stop was at the PCYC, where children lined up for photos and autographs from the former stars, and enjoyed a clinic practising their rugby league skills.
From there, the Hogs visited the Royal Hotel, chatting to locals, participating in a Q&A session, and ending with a charity auction.
On Monday morning, Buderus, O’Meley and Michael Buettner took to the ring for a Fit for Life boxing session at the PCYC before they move on to Tamworth for a footy clinic and another Fit for Life clinic.
In its seventh year, the tour raises money for Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off The Streets program and raises awareness of homelessness.
READ ALSO: PCYC help keep youth off the streets
Since Fittler started Hogs for the Homeless in 2013, they have raised almost $700,000 for the Youth Off The Streets campaign, and have brought on new partners for the 2019 tour.
“We've hooked up with the NSW police, the other blues,” Fittler said.
“We get around to all the PCYCs, looking to grow this relationship.”
“The other thing is we give every kid a footy. So we just make sure every kid we see in the bush we give a footy so I think we normally do about 4000 kilometres a year all through the country.”
This is the second time they have visited Moree after doing so in 2017, the same year they were able to lay a footy field in Walgett.
“We lay a field somewhere in NSW country every year so this year we're actually doing one in Sydney, in Baulkham Hills and last year we did Wellington,” Fittler said.
“It's a huge spend. It's normally like seven semi trailers from Sydney, it's a massive job.
There's a lot that happens, getting to muck around with the kids is always good after being on a bike for a long time but the motorbikes are awesome.
“It's a good way to spend a week, there's a real good social thing that goes on, we just talk about feeling part of a team and make an effort to get together and do things, that's really important.
“Every year we're just getting more and more ex-players.”