The Sydney Swans arrived in the Northern Territory this week aiming to tackle an important health issue by conducting a series of community clinics and a football carnival.
The Kick the Habit campaign encourages communities to keep their lungs and bodies strong by committing to a smoke-free lifestyle.
The initiative is part of the Australian Government's Tackling Indigenous Smoking program.
The Swans will spend the week in Jabiru and Maningrida in West Arnhem Land, which is an area with some of the highest smoking rates in the country.
During the visit, the club will conduct football clinics, visit schools and organise a three-day smoke-free festival in Maningrida.
Swans players Robbie Fox, Matt Roberts, Sam Wicks and Patrick Snell will attend, alongside AFLW players Maddy Collier, Tanya Kennedy and Eliza Vale.
Fox is enjoying the trip so far and described his first visit to West Arnhem Land as an 'incredible' experience.
"You hear about these sort of communities but to see it first hand is incredible," Fox said.
"Food is hard to come by sometimes, and then you have kids who have to go to school this morning with no sleep and without a bed - but they are all happy at the same time.
"It's pretty cool to see how happy they are with how little they have and it puts everything into perspective."
This visit will be the first phase of a three-year commitment to the region.
The club's First Nations Strategy Manager, Jarred Hodges said that he was thankful for the opportunity to visit the Top End communities.
"We visited Maningrida two years ago and formed some really strong bonds with the community, so we are grateful for the opportunity to return and strengthen those connections, as well as hopefully have a meaningful impact on health outcomes," Hodges said.
"With the support of the government's Tackling Indigenous Smoking program, we'll be hosting the Maningrida Football Festival for at least three years in collaboration with the Mala'la Aboriginal Health Service.
"West Arnhem Land is one of the most culturally diverse Aboriginal regions in Australia, with around 15 different languages spoken.
"This year, we're delivering the Kick the Habit message in English, Burrara and Ndjebbana, and we plan to expand the language offerings each year."
The festival will be held over three days, starting on Friday and beginning with a youth carnival.
The following two days will a weekend tournament featuring men's and women's teams from the region.
During the festival the program's partners, including the Mala'la Aboriginal Health Service, will offer workshops and health checks throughout the event to support the campaign against smoking.
David Freier from Mala'la Aboriginal Health Service was excited to collaborate with the Swans on this initiative.
"Having the Swans here is a fantastic way for Mala'la to engage people in conversations about the benefits of not smoking and to inspire a healthier lifestyle," Freier said.
"Like most Territorians, the community is footy mad, and the chance to have the Sydney Swans here is a huge thrill.
"We're thrilled about the partnership with the Swans and look forward to seeing it grow."
