Essendon’s long-standing partnership with Challenge will continue this Saturday when they take on GWS at Marvel Stadium.
Supporting children and their families battling cancer, the Bombers will give a group of special young kids a moment to cherish as they run onto the field with their favourite players this weekend.
Ahead of the game, Essendon opened its doors on Wednesday for the families to enter the NEC Hangar, spend time with the squad and begin hand-painting unique designs for each player’s gameday boots.
Midfielder Darcy Parish is keen to show the finished product to the footy community on Saturday, relishing the opportunity to connect with the kids and their families.
“I’m happy to leave (the artwork) in their hands,” Parish said.
“I’ve just seen my boots when I walked in before, young Ethan’s doing a good job for me and brightening my boots up for this weekend’s game.
“It’s a great cause, it’s really taken off and everyone’s pair of boots this year are going to be done. It’s a great chance for us to connect with the kids and you see the joy on their face while they’re doing it.”
The Bombers’ support of Challenge has been a staple during Parish’s playing career, with fond memories of building connections with different families from his early seasons at the club.
Parish believes giving the children and their families a special experience in tough times also has a strong effect on the playing group.
“These kids have had it really tough since they’ve been born,” Parish said.
“You think we’re having a bad day with injuries or it’s not all going your way on one day, these kids are doing it tough every day but the smile and happiness you see on their faces is a credit to them, it puts it in perspective for us.
“We’ve always supported Challenge ever since I’ve been here and I’ve been connected with a young kid and family, they’ve moved up to Noosa now and we’re still connected to this day.
“We get to go into the hospital and put some smiles on the kid’s faces, which is really special for us. It’s just a small thing we can do (that has) such a big impact for these kids and families.”
From an on-field perspective, the Bombers’ clash with GWS is one of the most anticipated from round nine's slate, with each side starting the year in good touch.
In the context of the week, Parish is hopeful the side can continue their strong work and mark a special occasion with a good result.
“Everyone’s just buying in and contributing all over the field, which is awesome,” Parish said.
“If we want to keep continuing to push for the finals and be a great side, you need everyone contributing.
“It’s really important to see, it’s great we’re winning games but we’re an unfinished product at the minute, we’ve just got to keep grinding away at it.
“(With) the experience (the Challenge kids) get this week running out with us on gameday, hopefully we can put in a good performance for such a special cause."
