The destination was Gove, in remote Arnhem Land, and the group from the Geelong Football Club travelled more than 10 hours just to reach that dot on the map.
For Cat Nathan Djerrkura the trip was a homecoming after another year spent on football fields thousands of kilometres from the grounds on which he grew up learning how to kick a ball.
But for a bunch of his teammates and VFL coach Leigh Tudor, the trip was one of discovery and learning.
Geelong players Tom Hawkins, Travis Varcoe and Simon Hogan – as well as Cats community relations co-ordinator Rachelle Rose – were among the travelling party to head north.
Other Cats, including Tudor, had visited remote regions of the Northern Territory in the past but for the Geelong youngsters it was their first time into "the homeland".
And, as Tudor explained, it was a trip well worth it.
"It was just a fantastic experience," Tudor said.
"The boys got a heap out of it. It's a really good experience for some of our players to see how the indigenous boys grow up.
"Everywhere we went there were just really nice people who were just really welcoming.
"It's an amazing place, and it was just great to meet Nathan Djerrkura's family. They're fantastic people."
During their week-long stay in Australia's top end the Geelong contingent soaked up the community feel, while they also spoke to students at nearby schools from Nhulunbuy and Yirrkala.
Djerrkura, who hails from Arnhem Land, told students how he was once in the same position many of the children were today.
The promising Cat, who spent 2008 in the VFL but battled a quadriceps injury for the first half of the season, attended the latter part of his schooling at Melbourne's Scotch College before Geelong selected him with pick 25 in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft.
"The players just talked about their lifestyle and what they've had to do, the sacrifices they've made to become professional footballers," Tudor said.
"The kids asked questions and we also did some team-building games.
"Then after we visited the schools we went off to the beach and put the goalposts in the sand and just played footy on the beach and in the water and all that sort of stuff. The kids just loved it and so did we."
While the AFL stars were a big hit, the locals also entertained the Cats with some traditional dancing, in which the visitors also took part.
Hawkins said he hadn't been sure what to expect before the trip, but loved every minute of the adventure.
"The importance of family within the community was really obvious," he said.
"Everyone in the community was really close, and we were made to feel a part of that.
"Seeing where Nathan [Djerrkurra] comes from was a real highlight, what he's had to give up and sacrifice to be part of the AFL is pretty amazing."
Hogan agreed, and said while the people who lived in Arnhem Land experienced a different lifestyle to those close to Skilled Stadium, one wouldn't be able to tell by the looks on their faces.
"Everyone lives so happily up there," Hogan said.
"Theirs is a lifestyle that some might view as being pretty tough compared to ours but everyone was just so happy. The trip was a real eye-opener."
The Cats are planning another trip to Groote Eylandt, in the same region, in coming weeks with a different group of players.
