As part of Hawthorn Football Club’s partnership with the Katherine region, each year a group of kids from a selected community travel to Melbourne to participate in the Indigenous Exchange program.

This year, the group of eight travelled from Ngukurr, a remote community 320km East of Katherine. The kids are selected by having high school attendance, Auskick participation and good behaviour. 

They arrived early on Wednesday 23 July to a cold and foggy Melbourne ready to start their week-long once in a lifetime adventure.

During their stay, the kids are hosted by families from Hawthorn Auskick who welcome them into their homes and make them part of family life. Together with their Billet Families, they attended a full day at Hawthorn West Primary School, explored some sights of Melbourne and got to play plenty of footy with the local team.

On Friday the group came out to spend the morning at the Ricoh Centre where they watched the Hawthorn players train, had a kick with Shaun Burgoyne, had lunch with Bradley Hill and also played Hot Wheels with Luke Hodge! 

To top it off, they then had the opportunity to play on the MCG on Saturday night at half time of the Hawthorn-Sydney match in the Auskick Grid Game.

After a week of many firsts and different experiences, the kids have headed home. Thanks to Hawthorn Auskick and the Billet families for making this program possible. 
 

Luke Hodge catches up with the kids before they get down to business with some Hot Wheels.
 

Coach Alastair Clarkson meets the kids at training.
 

Bradley Hill with some of the kids after lunch.