Jamie Macmillan, Shaun Atley and Ben Mabon spent their day off this week with a very special group of people, who are just as competitive in their favourite game as the Kangaroos boys are.

The players were a part of the season launch for Scope’s Balloon Football on Wednesday; a game which follows Australian Rules Football and is a great opportunity for people with a disability to get involved.

The basketball stadium at Aegis Park was packed with participants as six competing teams from across Melbourne gathered to show off their skills and let the Kangaroos boys know what they’re made of.

Katie Marx from Scope said everyone at the launch had a great time playing on court and the help of a few AFL players made the event all the more exciting.

“We can see the Kangaroos boys are really inspiring the people on the ground and they’ve brought a lot of joy to our participants,” Marx said.

“Balloon football has been running for about 15-years within separate regions in Scope and today is the first time they’ve all come together to verse each other. Like any sport, it’s a great chance for everyone to make new friends, build skills and meet more people.”

Scope CEO Jennifer Fitzgerald said the day was a huge success and it helped having a few extra hands to help.

“It’s great for this to be occurring in a venue where anyone can come and have a look and see how truly competitive the game is and how much fun everyone is having. We’re thrilled to have the North Melbourne players on the court and the way they have engaged with our players is amazing,” Fitzgerald said.

“Jamie, Shaun and Ben stayed back afterwards to sign autographs, take photos with their fans and congratulate the winners. They were fantastic.”

The only way Scope can continue holding events such as this is with the help of others who generously give of their time.

“Volunteers are really important because they enable us to do additional things that aren’t funded. With the help of volunteers we can engage with the community and build more awareness for Scope and the work we do. ”

For more information on Scope or to volunteer visit their website