Students hang on Legends' every word

HIGH school students from four Gladstone region schools had an opportunity to mix with former rugby league players yesterday as the International Legends of League event kicked off.

While the main Legends game at Marley Brown Oval on Saturday night is expected to attracted more than 4000 fans, hundreds of students got a first glimpse of the heroes of yesteryear.

International Legends of League organiser Troy Byers, Australian Allstars players Craig Teevan and Casey McGuire and Gladstone Wallabys' player Sarah Stewart, who represented major sponsor Side By Side Scaffolding and Rigging, talked to students from Tannum State High, Gladstone State High, Rosella Park and Toolooa State High schools.

Each school had an hour-long session that focused on the theme of "dream, believe, achieve”.

The sessions started with an 11-minute video staring current players such as Johnathan Thurston and Sam Thaiday.

Mr Byers said the opening video helped to capture the students' attention with themes related to their own circumstances.

"NRL players talk about their dreams and belief to achieve their goal but that's also in everyday life,” he said.

"They had to work hard but they had to believe in themselves, have a good network around them, pick the right people to be around and have a family support base.

"Talking about that relates to kids in everyday life - whatever you want to be you need to have a good support network.”