Among them is Caroona product and Werris Creek and Gunnedah junior Ben Smith.

Smith said he “liked coming back to the country” while visiting Armidale last week but this time he is even closer to home.

He will return to Gunnedah and Werris Creek, and several other towns, over the next two days to spread the rugby league word.

With him will be former Australian Test backrower Reni Maitua and fellow injured Eels Jacob Loko and Rory Brien.

They arrived in Tamworth last night and their first stop is at Boggabri today.

The four players will split into groups of two and visit the town’s two primary schools – Boggabri Public and Sacred Heart Primary – at 9am where they will attend assembly and answer questions from the students.

They will then travel to Gunnedah to visit Gunnedah Public for another assembly from 10.15am that will also include students from Mullaley and Curlewis.

At 11.30 the Eels move on to St Xavier’s Primary and then to Gunnedah High from 12.50pm.

After lunch it’s the turn of St Mary’s College to host the players for one more question and answer assembly.

The players then get to hit Kitchener Park where Smith played for the Gunnedah Bulldogs in the junior grades before he left for Sydney to play with Parramatta.

The Eels will run a “come and try”coaching clinic from 4.30-6pm and all children are welcome to attend.

The Gunnedah Junior League will take registrations for the upcoming season during the come and try clinic and the players will stay and sign autographs before a dinner hosted by the Gunnedah senior and junior leagues at 7pm.

Tomorrow morning’s first event is the Gunnedah South Primary School’s community breakfast from 8am, which is supported by the local branch of Parramatta’s major sponsor Pirtek and will raise money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

The players will also hold another assembly at Gunnedah South from 9am before leaving for Werris Creek.

Smith played almost all of his junior football with the Werris Creek Magpies juniors before he signed with Gunnedah.

From 11.15am the players visit Werris Creek Public, at 1.30pm they stop in at Currabubula Public and Duri Public at at 2.30pm.

The last stop for the Eels before heading home is a visit to the Tamworth Hospital and then it’s back to Sydney to prepare for the weekend trial against Wests Tigers.