Dubbo Australian Rules clubs got to hear from one of the game's best coaches in recent years during the week while learning valuable skills around mental health.
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Former GWS Giants coach Leon Cameron helped present a workshop run by Tackle Your Feelings, a training program which aims to improve awareness and understanding around mental health.
AFL Central West Competition and Development Coordinator Casey White said the evening run at Pastoral Hotel was important for many reasons.
"It's really relevant for the Dubbo community, they are the most isolated in our area," he said.
"It's seen its challenges as has the footy club around mental health over the last few seasons.
"So to not only get access to more health services which in isolated communities is easier said than done but to get someone of Leon's (Cameron) standing to deliver some components of that session was really powerful."
Dubbo Demons and Dubbo Junior AFL were the two clubs which had representatives attend the evening as they both continue to work on ways to best support their players' mental wellbeing.
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White admitted the workshop was a learning experience for all those involved and feels some of the attendees walked away with knowledge about how to best help their clubs.
"It started some conversations whilst that might not have been the intention of the workshop, it got people to open up and be a bit more vulnerable," he said.
"That's going to help in the long run with the transition of junior players into the senior club, they are going to have to make some new relationships with some mentors.
"They are going to be working under different coaches, the conversation that we had have kickstarted trying to align the two clubs together."
This season especially, players have been moving between the two clubs and White said Cameron had some words of wisdom for them.
"We were able to get some really good comments out of Leon regarding those sort of transitions and what is the focus of the junior club," he said.
"Facilitating games every week is important but what are we doing for coaches while those kids range out and are ready to play senior footy."
Since 2019, Dubbo has now had three members of the GWS Giants squad which played in the AFL grand final in the same year.
Phil Davis, Shane Mumford and now Leon Cameron have all made visits to Dubbo over the last three years as Australian Rules continues to grow in town.
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