It was of little surprise, then, to see Sydney Swans players Tom Mitchell and Harry Marsh visit students from St Michael's Primary School in Nelson Bay last Tuesday.

Mitchell and Marsh spent time talking with the students about healthy eating habits, the rigours of playing AFL, the importance of being active, as well as the benefits of playing sport.

The players fielded a host of questions from an inquisitive audience, signed a myriad of autographs and posed happily for many photographs.

"They were certainly an inspiration to many St Michael's students, both boys and girls," St Michael's teacher Trevor Ryan said.