The team visited our towns on the way to their trial match against the Melbourne Storm in Bega on Saturday night.

They visited Batemans Bay High School, Sunshine Bay Public School, Mogo Public School, Broulee Public School, St Peter’s Anglican College, Moruya Public School, Moruya High School, Batemans Bay Public School, St Bernard’s Primary School, St Mary’s Primary School and Bodalla Public School.

The trained hard in the rain at Mackay Park on Wednesday evening.

“It is great to have them here; it’s terrific that they are bringing rugby league to the country,” Batemans Bay Public School rugby league officer Rodney Wright said.

Among the Raiders players were Josh Dugan, Brett White, stalwart Alan Tongue and Tuross Head boy Jarrad Kennedy, who was grateful to be back in the Raiders squad after a year with their Queensland feeder club Souths-Logan, and happy to be in his own backyard.

“It is awesome to be back in Canberra, because I get to visit my family and friends in Tuross,” he said.

“When I was in Brisbane I didn’t get the chance to come down.”

Kennedy, 21, has been training in the second row and lock positions.

“My goal this year is to make my first grade debut and play a couple of games off the bench,” he said.

Country Rugby League official and former Batemans Bay Tiger Matt Schubert presented the players to each school and showed videos where NRL players talked about the importance of having goals and believing dreams can come true if you are focused enough.

The players talked to the students about the importance of a healthy breakfast and lunch, and the value of playing sport – any sport, not just rugby league.

Students were asked what different sports they played, and both St Bernard’s Primary School and Batemans Bay Public School impressed the Raiders by naming 14 sports.

The players also signed autographs and fielded questions from the students.

One Batemans Bay Public School student asked “Do you miss Todd Carney?”

See more photos from the Raiders visit on page 42.