Hino teams with footy greats

As Hino Australia's 50th anniversary celebrations continue, the company has helped the next generation of NRL and AFL players around the country build their skills with the help of some of the games' biggest legends.

The Hino 'Train with a Legend' competition, which saw Triple M and Mix FM listeners Australia-wide help their local football club win a chance to train with a local football legend, has concluded after training sessions in Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne.

The program began in Queensland with ex-Brisbane Bronco and Penrith Panther player Petero Civoniceva coaching the North Ipswich Tigers under-11s.

Former Adelaide Crow Mark Ricciuto and ex-Port Adelaide Magpie Domenic Cassisi passed on their skills to the Edwardstown Football Club in Adelaide.

In Sydney former Penrith Panther Mark Geyer coached the St Clair Comets in Erskine Park (pictured), while North Melbourne AFL great Wayne Carey mentored the East Keilor Cougars in Melbourne.

To finish the series, former AFL footballer and sports presenter Adrian Barich coached the South Fremantle Women's Football Club in Perth.

At the Sydney event Mark Geyer summed up the significance of Hino Australia's premise of 'delivering from one generation to the next' for the next generation of footballers.

"I'm from a past generation, but now I've got kids playing sport and the kids here today are the next generation," he said.

"The kids are obviously too young to know the full importance of what Hino is contributing, but for the administrators and coaches of these junior clubs it makes the job of coming here every week to train a lot easier."

Hino Australia Chairman and CEO Steve Lotter said helping the next generation of footballers around Australia was another great way for the brand to celebrate its heritage.

"We saw a lot of young football players around the country get some great advice and new skills from some big NRL and AFL household names," he said.

"We've been celebrating the quality of our vehicles and the benefit they've played in people's lives over the past 50 years – and we're looking forward to the role Hino will play in Australia's transport future.

"This has been a chance to invest in future generations of sports people and, judging by the smiles of all those involved, it has been very worthwhile."