THE WEST Coast Eagles have landed in Narrogin for their Telstra Community Camp, and are already fully immersed in the local scene.
After a civic reception which included a welcome from the mayor and Noongar elder Beryl Kickett - and lunch - the team split up to visit the local high school, hospital and aged care facilities, including a special visit from Sam Butler and Beau Waters to Coral Ballantyne, a 94-year-old rabid Eagles fan.
Coach John Worsfold said the team really enjoyed the opportunity to do something different after a long pre-season.
"The players can get very close to the people of the town, because there's not thousands that are out there, and the people who do make the effort to come down get really close contact with the players, the kids especially," he said.
"The people who come to training can watch it right up close and see what pace they actually work at.
"This is a time when the players can see the impact they have on communities and on people, so that's a part they really enjoy. With the kids in the schools this afternoon, and with the people in the aged hostels and that sort of thing, that's the part they really love, just to see the smiles that they put on peoples faces."
Worsfold said the current composition of the team made it especially rewarding to move outside the confines of the metropolitan region, especially to Narrogin, which is the area that produced skipper Darren Glass and the Matera brothers.
"For us, at the moment we've got a very strong mix of WA country boys and also eastern states country boys, like Brent Staker, from Broken Hill, and the Selwoods and Matt Rosa - all from Victorian country areas.
"The country areas are renowned for producing some great players."