JORDAN Ward-O’Brien doesn’t barrack for North Melbourne but he was still excited when eight Roos players visited the Ballarat Specialist School yesterday.
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The year 9 student, who supports Essendon, said he enjoyed being put through his footballing paces at a player clinic.
“And I got some autographs for my mum, who barracks for North,” Jordan said.
Friend Mikhela McMillan was not quite so concerned with her footballing skills.
“They’re really cute,” she said, with a giggle.
Year 10 student Emily Bailey barracks for Geelong but said the best part of the visit was getting to play football with AFL players.
The Roos’ Ben Mabon, Ben Cunnington, Jamie Macmillan, Cameron Richardson, Levi Greenwood, Liam Anthony and Nathan Grima took part in the clinic, with each taking a separate group for footballing drills.
Greenwood said the club was holding more clinics in Ballarat as part of its push to have some of its AFL home and away games played at Eureka Stadium.
“We’ve targeted Ballarat to get our membership up and it’s showing good signs,” Greenwood said.
“We had a good crowd at our NAB cup game.”
Former North Ballarat Rooster Cameron Richardson said he enjoyed attending clinics in his home town. Ben Mabon also spent time in Ballarat, attending Ballarat Clarendon College when he played for the Rebels.