Rabbitohs make students' day

Promising young South Sydney player Kyle Turner enjoys a clinic with Bishop Druitt College students.

TREVOR VEALE

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STUDENTS from Bishop Druitt College and Nambucca Heads Primary School had a welcome first day at school today with an extra curricular visit from South Sydney players.

Retired star Rhys Wesser conducted sessions with students where he outlined the NRL's 'Dream, Believe, Achieve' message which he believes the students appreciate.

"We show a video that the NRL has put together of players like Preston Campbell and a lot of the stars from the NRL," Mr Wesser said.

"We talk about their dream as young kids growing up and how they said no to peer pressure and drugs and mixing with the wrong crowd pretty much.

"Of course for kids these days it's quite tough coming out of school and finding out what they want to do. We're here to support them and support what they want to do and hopefully they have a good future."

Acting in his role as a Souths Cares Ambassador, Wesser was at the schools with Rabbitohs' players Michael Crocker, Luke Burgess, James Roberts and Kyle Turner for the NRL's One Community Carnival.

The players along with ARL Development staff conducted clinics for the kids and Wesser said that reaching toward students is a big part of the South Sydney message.

"We're really getting involved with the community," he said.

"We literally just started a school to work transition program for indigenous kids in years 11 and 12 where we've been able to set up jobs and pathways for the kids using a Souths Cares program that we only started in October."

This visit is a pre-cursor to the Rabbitohs' arrival in Coffs Harbour next week ahead of the NRL pre-season trial game against last year's grand finalis NZ Warriors to be played at BCU International Stadium on February 11.

Even though he's not playing in next week's big game, Wesser is confident that the Bunnies will give a good account of themselves.

"With the season start in March coming up wh're going to start looking to playing our best players," he said.

"Hopefully the rain can stay away and everyone can get out there and enjoy a good game of football."