Dyldam Parramatta Eels half Mitch Cornish, who has joined the Blue and Gold on their trip to Darwin ahead of the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday night at TIO Stadium, has spent the opening few days in the Top End visiting the community and local primary schools meeting plenty of local students and young rugby league players.
Cornish, along with other members of the Blue and Gold playing squad, visited over 500 students from ten local primary schools, before taking part in Day One of the Eels’ Indigenous Youth Summit with Luke Kelly, says the side has been well received by the students and Darwin locals.
The players have been delivering messages of healthy lifestyles, ‘Dream, Believe, Achieve’ and the importance of education whilst continuing to grow the game in the NT.
“The response has been really good. We spoke about education and what us NRL players do for education and study and how important it is to have something after footy,” Cornish said.
“The kids asked questions about what it is like to be an NRL player, our daily activities and what we do as players which has been really good.”
“There are some really good skills on show and some quality players in there!”
With the Eels taking on the Titans on Saturday night, it’s not the first trip Cornish has made to #eelsterritory.
However the half will unfortunately not be taking the field due to injury.
“I got to come up here a few years back when the Raiders played Parramatta, but it has been a good week with the warmer weather with the rain down in Sydney, it’s been nice to get away.” Cornish said.
“The rehab has been slow, I did it two weeks ago but I am in physio everyday and we have all the right programs in place so it’s getting better.”