A group of emerging footballers from the Sydney Swans' First Nations Academy have completed an eight-day tour of Central Australia, combining football development with cultural immersion.

The tour, which featured matches in Alice Springs and the Mutitjulu community, built on the Swans' ongoing partnership with the Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Program.

Players were selected for the trip based on their performances in matches earlier this year against the Swans Academy, with the experience offering both football and personal growth opportunities.

Sydney Swans First Nations Strategy and Development Manager Jarred Hodges said the trip was focused on investing in the next generation.

"This week was purely about our next generation, not only athletically but personally and I think across the week we've seen tremendous growth in both areas, I'm sure those participants will go away with fond memories," Hodges said.

"For me, it was obviously that deep cultural connection – we've worked really hard through our ARA First Nations Academy program, and had assistance from the Black Dog Institute, around social and emotional well-being being the foundation of our program, and a huge part of that is connection."

"Connection to country, connection to culture, connection to ancestors, stories, kin, and that's the part I think I'm most proud of, is what the Red Centre provides in terms of connection."

Academy members spent time learning from local elders, participating in cultural activities at iconic sites such as Uluru and Kata Tjuta, and engaging with remote communities.

"It's been great and I've really enjoyed the whole week," said Jakob Frankl, one of the recipients of the inaugural ARA First Nations Academy Leadership Award.

"From the footy, the cultural activities in both Alice Springs, Uluru, Kata Tjuta, wherever we have been it's been great."

Fellow award winner Bobbi Matthews echoed those thoughts.

"It's been an incredible experience and the opportunities that we've had along the week have been amazing," she said.

"It's just been a really big eye-opener to see how the communities out here live… just seeing how happy they were when we came, that was the best."

The initiative was supported by the ARA Group, Sydney Swans Foundation, UNSW, Voyages, the Mutitjulu Community and the Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Program.

The connection between the Swans and Central Australia runs deep. The club's first known First Nations player, Elkin Reilly, who represented South Melbourne in 51 senior VFL matches in the 1960s, hails from the Central Australian region having been taken from his family at Telegraph Point in Alice Springs.

Former player Fred Campbell is a development coach in the Central Australia region, while Sydney's newest AFLW recruits Sarah Steele-Park and Lulu Pullar were members of the Pinktails program.

Paul Dieckmann from the ARA Group said the tour was a testament to the dedication of everyone involved.

"From the effort of the coaches, and then watching the kids do their absolute best in everything, engaging in community and culture, playing footy, it's been a privilege," he said.

"But it's not about ARA, it's just about these kids, it's about the future, and we're just so proud to be a part of it."