Jordan Roughead went back to school this week as part of the Western Bulldogs community visits throughout Victoria.
The Bulldogs vice-captain visited his hometown of Ballarat and made the trip to his alma mater, St Francis Xavier Primary School, alongside Bob Murphy, Josh Prudden, Zaine Cordy and Declan Hamilton.
“St Francis Xavier, Villa Maria was my primary school so it’s great to get back, there’s been a few changes since then.
“It’s great to get back and be able to give a little bit back to a place that provided me a lot of joy as a kid.”
Roughead said the Club’s relationship with Ballarat was an important one, as the Bulldogs continue to build their relationship with the community.
“One of our goals now is to help the Ballarat community grow and hopefully we can grow a strong supporter and membership base here.
“Obviously a great way to do that is by getting out to the local schools and teach the kids some basic skills and just make sure they have a really good day.”
Roughead and his teammates spoke to senior students about the importance of leadership, as well as conducting clinics.
The Club’s relationship with Ballarat is set to grow even further with a NAB Challenge match at Eureka Stadium on Saturday 14 March against Melbourne, and the Club committing to home and away games at the venue from as early as 2017.
Roughead said that on a personal level, he was looking forward to the Bulldogs spending more time in Ballarat.
“It’d be terrific, it’d make it easier for mum and dad who wouldn’t have to drive down the freeway, but I’d really look forward to playing some home games at Eureka Stadium.
“It’s a fantastic facility and somewhere that I loved playing footy as a kid so it’d be great to get back out there.”