It was a simple message but delivered with passion.
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Brad Fittler visited Bega High School on Tuesday with a group of good mates and a powerful message for teens' mental health.
To breathe, to start the day with a drink of water and a positive action, and to connect with friends more deeply than just "banter".
The current NSW Blues State of Origin coach and former star NRL player, Freddy was joined by Gotcha4Life founder Gus Worland, as well as fellow former NRL stars Beau Scott and Luke Lewis.
They spoke to a diverse group of BHS students, not all of whom there just because of the footy star pulling power.
Gotcha4Life was started with an aim to focus on the alarming suicide rates in Australia and actively work on prevention and building up "mental fitness".
Key among Gus and Fittler's message to the students was to do away with social media and take a break from scrolling through their phones all day.
"Social media sucks the life out of you, it sucks your data, it sucks your attention and your boredom and only for their benefit - don't be a sucker," Fittler said.
He acknowledged it would be a hard sell.
"It's so powerful what we are combating," Fittler told Australian Community Media after the Bega High session.
"But it's about finding balance so we can counter it a bit. People have allowed it to overwhelm them."
For the students, he brought it back to what he said were simple things that can make such a big difference - breathing, energy, sleep and talking.
Given his role as the State of Origin coach it was also the message he embeds in his players, including not allowing them to have their phones at training or meals.
"Get up every day and do something positive first - then your routine becomes positive," he said.
"And breathe - if you control your breathing, you can control your heart rate and that's the thing that goes a bit crazy when you get anxious."
Mr Worland said making deeper connections with those closest to you was essential for mental fitness.
"Banter is easy, but speaking up is harder if it means something to you," he said.
"Find someone who has got your back and who won't judge. You need to work on those connections - too many of us worry alone.
"Let people know how you care about them and get out of 'banter world'."
BHS PDHPE head teacher Brooke Morgan said it was an honour to have the "Hogs Tour" visit Bega students.
"It's not every day you have such close access to the NSW Blues coach," she said.
"To hear that simple but powerful message in his words is invaluable."
The Hogs Tour started in 2013 and is one of the main programs of the NSWRL Foundation. In 2021 the Hogs Tour will see Fittler visit 24 regional NSW towns across 10 days, making 13 school visits, conducting six free football clinics and handing out 2400 footballs, to support local communities and promote rugby league participation.