WHEN the Brisbane Lions announced the itinerary for their Townsville Community Camp, Jason Roe was quick to volunteer to visit often-maligned Palm Island.
Frequently in the news for the wrong reasons, Palm Island is situated about a 20-minute flight off the coast of Townsville, and houses an Aboriginal community of about 3000 people.
Despite the negative press the island has received in recent times, Roe said he was eager to participate in a school visit during the Lions' time in far north Queensland.
"I always wanted to come out to Palm Island; I especially asked to come out here and see what it was like," Roe told afl.com.au.
"The image was a bit scary, in a way. The media had publicised bad things about the place, but I enjoyed my time over here, my three or four hours.
"All the kids are sports mad - rugby league, I must admit, but it was great to have a muck around with them.
"I enjoyed it. The flight over was amazing. I couldn't believe how green the islands were and how the reef was … and the kids are just great.
"I love it over here and I'll definitely try to come back."
Roe, with teammates Anthony Corrie and Jared Brennan and assistant coach Craig Lambert, visited two schools before trying their hand at fishing off the Island's main jetty.
After speaking to the 50 or so children at St Michael's School, Roe and Lambert took the kids through their paces in a brief clinic – which unearthed some incredible natural skill.
"There were a lot of boys and girls who were pretty talented, but there were a few girls that, when they had the ball in their hand, they were just great," Roe said.
"The boys were just exceptional. The way they sidestep … they've got quick feet, and they're just amazing.
"They don't have any fear either. They're doing back flips on the concrete and on the oval, and it didn't matter what the consequence was.
"That will come naturally to them as well, with the way they were brought up in the culture.
"I think it's just in their blood. They're just so natural."
St Michael's principal Lil Mirtl said it was a terrific experience for her pupils to meet the Lions, despite the fact none of them knew who Leigh Matthews was.
"It's great for the kids to be exposed to all representative sport in Australia, and not just rugby league or not just basketball," she said.
"It's a great opportunity for them. They have the natural skills for AFL, and it's great for them to get an opportunity for them to show that.
"The AFL generally does a terrific job on junior development, so it's wonderful for us to see the Lions here.
"Our kids are very fit, they love sports, and they're naturally talented. It's wonderful for them to meet the Lions, and important for them to see these possibilities are open to anybody who has the basic skill level and a willingness to focus."
Roe grew up in Darwin with Corrie, who is his nephew by birth, and got to know Brennan through junior Territory football.
The young defender said it was pleasing to see so many Aboriginal children exert their natural sporting flair, and he recalled it was similar for him and Corrie.
"They make hard things look so easy; they have special talents that both indigenous boys and girls have," he said.
"My older brothers and cousins, and all my other relatives and friends, we all pretty much played sports from a young age.
"I think I first picked up a footy when I was about three years old, so it's just there, in your blood."
The Lions concluded their trip to Palm Island with the visit to the jetty, which produced no fish but provided a suitable platform for the trio to launch themselves into the surrounding crystal blue water.
