Makaya Sauer had an afternoon to remember when the young Port Adelaide fan met some of her AFL heroes as part of the club’s annual Australia Post AFL Community Camp.

The Eudunda local entered an Australia Post competition asking fans to nominate their ultimate community camp experience and the six year old could not wipe the smile off her face when Alipate Carlile and Andrew Moore arrived at her door.

“I said in my entry that it would be so cool if Port Adelaide players could come to my house and kick the footy around in my backyard and teach me how to tackle so I could take on my big brother," said Makaya. 

“I usually kick the footy with my brother after school and I couldn’t believe it when mum told me I had won the competition and that a couple of players would be travelling to my house to meet me.”

Carlile and Moore spent Monday at Makaya’s home having a kick in the backyard before presenting her with a guernsey and signing some memorabilia.

As part of this year’s community camp the Port Adelaide Football Club spent two days in the Barossa Valley region visiting people throughout Tanunda, Nuriootpa, Gawler and Kapunda.

The club’s Youth Programs Manager Ross Wait said this year’s camp reached more than 10,000 people after visiting schools, nursing homes and community centres.

“When players go out to schools they follow the club’s Community Youth Program and Empowering Youth Programs that we run throughout the year, which focus on healthy lifestyles and leadership,” Wait said.

The club also hosted a football clinic and community dinner in the Australia Post supported event that aims to bring footy fans closer to the game they love.

“The camps give us an outlet to access areas that the players can’t usually travel to during the year because of their focus on footy,” Wait said.

“To go out to the regions during the camp gives locals a chance to connect with role models that they usually don’t get to see.”