Team bonding and spreading the 'red and black' message have been the focus of Essendon’s four-day Community Camp in Ballina (NSW) and the Gold Coast (QLD), according to Essendon youngster Henry Slattery. The camp, which concludes tomorrow, has involved visiting local schools and junior football clubs as well as public training sessions and coaching/information forums.

""For the players it’s important as role models to promote the game,"" Slattery said. ""We are playing at the highest level and it’s good for the kids to see us in person and learn about footy from us directly. While we are here to promote the game we can also talk to them about life skills and areas outside of football.""

Slattery, who has played 32 games for the Bombers, said the best part of the camp was meeting students in NSW who had only recently taken up the sport but were now keen to win a grand final

""It’s been pretty busy but it has also been fun and the boys have enjoyed it. In our spare time we have been able to hit the beach and play some tennis too which has also been good,"" he said.

Senior coach Matthew Knights said, from a player perspective, the camp has been a good opportunity for teammates that might not normally spend much time together at the club to bond.

""If you get two guys holding a clinic together at a school it’s a chance for them to get to know each other better so to come here and be a part of a community camp is good for them,"" he said.

""From my perspective the camp provides great variety and couldn’t have come at a better time. We have been going pretty hard on the track since Christmas so it breaks it up.""