Matt Maguire, Xavier and Raphael Clarke, Jarryd Allen and Glen Chivers were special guests at Newlyn Oval, where they addressed about 90 excited children from Smeaton, Newlyn and Creswick North primary schools.

The players distributed junior footballs, ran skills clinics and answered questions on football and healthy living to the children last Tuesday.

Pupils' queries included what the players had for breakfast, "had the Saints ever played Hawthorn", "how high can you kick a ball" and "how many laps do you run at training".

Another asked Maguire about a garish scar on his left shin.

The defender replied with recollections of a broken leg he suffered against West Coast at Docklands in late 2006.

Raphael Clarke, originally from Darwin, said he and his brother Xavier enjoyed visiting rural communities.

"It's great coming out here in the country. The kids really get excited because they don't get to see many AFL players," Clarke said.

"They've been good kids today. I've had fun."

Smeaton Primary School principal Phonse Liddle, a cousin of the Clarke brothers, said all pupils enjoyed the clinic.

"The community camps are a great concept," he said.

"The kids have had a ball."