The Sydney Swans have hosted representatives from Western Magic AFC for an exclusive inner-sanctum experience, as part of the 2016 FOX FOOTY Club Rewards program.

The Magic, who were announced as prize winners earlier this year after being recognised for their outstanding community support, experienced a day in the life of an AFL club today with the Swans, as they gear up for a big clash with Fremantle at Domain Stadium on Sunday.

The experience included the grassroots representatives sitting in on team and coach meetings, observing training, touring the Sydney Cricket Ground facilities and taking on the Swans coaches in a skills challenge.

The FOX FOOTY Club Rewards program is an initiative driven by Foxtel to support grassroots sport and recognise football clubs and the benefit they deliver to their local community.

The Western Magic have been proud supporters of the White Ribbon Australia and beyondblue foundations, by annually holding their Ladies & Family Day, plus their Sports Golf Day to raise funds directly for both charities. The club also supports the ‘beyondblue Sock Round’, to raise funds and awareness for mental health amongst men and also the ‘Pink Sock Round’, raising funds for breast cancer awareness and research.

Crucially, Blacktown is the largest LGA for Indigenous population in Australia, with the Magic working closely to support members of their indigenous community within their football club. They proudly wear the community’s local indigenous designs on their jumper as a sign of this relationship.

Sydney Swans head coach John Longmire began his football career with the Corowa-Rutherglen Football Club in the Ovens & Murray Football League. Longmire said local football clubs are the backbone of the community.

“Grassroots football clubs play an enormous role in bringing people together in their local town, as well as in helping foster talent to develop the next AFL footballers. We’re delighted to help reward the Western Magic AFC for their community support,” Longmire said.

“We hope the brief insight we have given the Western Magic AFC today will give them a greater understanding of not only the Sydney Swans, but also all that goes into shaping an elite football club and getting our team on the park each week.”

The FOX FOOTY Club Rewards program has rewarded 50 local football clubs with the chance to hear from an elite AFL club’s coaching panel in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. Furthermore, another 17 clubs will also have the opportunity to get a sense of the professionalism of an AFL club when they visit an AFL club’s training facilities or experience an AFL club’s inner sanctum on match day.