The ever growing game in NSW, AFL made more inroads in youth development as Sydney Swans players held an Aus-Kick clinic for the Southern Highland Hawks at Welby Oval.

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Photos: Sports photos from February 15 | PHOTOS

Swan's players, Tom Papley and Shellharbour's James Bell ran through kicking and marking drills and took photos along with signing jerseys.

After a breakout 2019 campaign, stepping up in Lance Franklin's absence to kick 37 goals and becoming the Swans leading goal kicker, Papley said the kids smiles are all worth it.

"It's great to see these kids with a smile on their faces," Papley said.

"It's good to see a lot of them having a kick and knowing how to kick a footy already as well. I'll be showing them a few different snaps and goal kicking techniques, it's been good."

Giving back to the community was the main aim for these sessions. It was all about giving something that the players would have wanted growing up.

"I'm just wanting to give back to the community," Papley said.

"If I were their age, I'd want an AFL player to come to my area growing up, so giving back to what I would have wanted as a child growing up feels great."

As Rugby League and Union have quite the stranglehold on popularity with the preferred sport in the state, Papley said that he has seen progress with the game of AFL in NSW.

"The game has definitely grown since I first got to NSW in 2015," Papley said.

"The game's still growing here and that's good to see. I keep seeing more and more kids getting into the game everyday."