Students of WA’s Clontarf Academies descended on Fremantle Oval on Friday and were treated to an invaluable learning experience, according to Clontarf’s General Manager of Employment, Marcus Harold.
 
The students are in town for the Woodside Cup curtain raiser ahead of Fremantle’s clash with Richmond on Saturday. As part of the Woodside Cup, Woodside, the club’s proud major sponsor and Indigenous Program partner, funded the playing kits the students will wear for the game.
 
“We have 50 of our year 12 boys from 22 of our WA academies, from as far north as Kununurra to as far south as Esperance,” Harold said.
 
“The boys had a tour around the Fremantle Dockers facilities, had the opportunity to speak to Michael Johnson and Stephen Hill, were provided with a great presentation from Woodside, and we’re having a training run on the oval in preparation for tomorrow’s curtain raiser.”

 Match day information v Richmond

 Michael Johnson and Stephen Hill were very popular figures among the students as they spoke of their football journey, answered questions and took photos with some of their biggest fans.
 
Harold said it was important for the students to hear the messages put forward from Johnson and Hill.

“It’s very important,” he said.
 
“The messages were about listening and learning from others, doing the right thing and also being good role models for not only themselves but their family and community as well.
 
“Having two fine young men, who happen to be AFL footballers, deliver those messages is great.”
 
An old Clontarf boy from 2002, Johnson said the curtain raiser had been a fantastic initiative for the students.
 
“It’s being going for a few years now and it’s a fantastic concept,” Johnson said.
 
“It’s all about year 12 kids from around WA who are doing well at school, they get selected by their mentors at the academy and are lucky enough to play before Fremantle as part of the curtain raiser before the game.
 
“To see so many young men doing well at school, finishing their year 12 studies and doing the right thing is great.”
 
Bounce down for the Woodside Cup curtain raiser is at 3:10pm, with gates opening at 3pm.