North Melbourne has teamed up with the Rochester Football Netball Club to invite Rochester children to become Kangaroos members for free, including access to up four home games this season.
The Kangaroos recently visited Rochester for their 2023 AFL Community Camp – just four months after the small town in Victoria’s north was devastated by floods.
Players spent the afternoon at Rochester Recreation Reserve – home of the Rochester Football Netball Club – answering questions and signing autographs for local primary school students before teaching kids some new skills at an Auskick clinic.
"The town has obviously gone through some really challenging times, so it's good to be able to come up here, help out these kids and brighten their days," North Melbourne forward Nick Larkey said.
"They came down for a clinic on a day at Arden Street late last year, and we really wanted to return the favour and come up [to Rochester].
"We did a Q&A which was really good, and you can see the excitement on their faces – it brings a heap of joy to us players, too."
Children from Rochester who register for a free Roo Squad membership will receive four tickets to Kangaroos home games of their choice, entry to the Roo Squad Clubhouse on matchday, exclusive merchandise, and access to online games and activities. Their parents can also redeem three free tickets to Kangaroos home games this season.
The Kangaroos’ free membership offer to Rochester children was inspired by the Rochester Football Netball Club’s own special membership initiative to help the local community recover from the floods.
Known as ‘My Shout’, the initiative encourages people from outside of Rochester to buy a Rochester Football Netball Club membership for a Rochester person or family to bring those displaced by the floods together and back into the community.
"About 90 per cent of the homes in Rochester are still unhabitable, with many people living in temporary accommodation at the [Elmore] Field Days site, in caravans or with friends and family outside of town," Rochester Football Netball Club president Justin Clearly said.
"They’re struggling to feel part of their own community, so we thought [the local football and netball club] would be a great place to get them all together."
The aim is to provide a membership for each of the approximately 3000 residents in Rochester.
Individual memberships are available to buy online for $100, while family memberships cost $100.
To sign up your child for a free Roo Squad membership, click here.
To buy a Rochester Football Netball Club ‘My Shout’ membership, click here.
*Roo Squad is only available to new members under 18 years old.
