A pair of footy boots is unremarkable for most Australian kids.
But for some indigenous youngsters from remote communities in the Northern Territory, used to playing kick-to-kick with bare feet on red earth, their first pair of boots are a prized possession.
Michael Long's heart warms when he sees smiling faces picking out the colourful footwear at his learning and leadership centre in Darwin.
Using the power of football, the AFL legend hopes to inspire them to do well at school and break the cycle of unemployment, poor health, welfare dependence and a high indigenous prison rate.
He says he sees himself as a boy in the stories of the participating children.
Israel Dhurrkay, 13, wants to play football for North Melbourne when he grows up just like his hero Lindsay Thomas.
After doing handball drills with some boys from Elcho Island on the football oval, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten promised the centre $10.7 million if Labor wins the election.
"When you grow up, be good footballers and vote Labor," he told the boys, while campaigning in the marginal seat of Solomon on Thursday.
The money will be used to set up a trade training in addition to the sports and literacy and numeracy programs currently on offer.
"They say football can change lives," Mr Shorten said.
At Sorry Day commemorations in a Darwin park on Thursday morning, Mr Shorten lamented that Australia sends more young Aboriginal men to jail than to university.
He also paid tribute to another indigenous sporting icon.
An emotional Nova Peris broke down in tears as she hit out at critics for judging her shock departure from federal politics.
Mr Shorten comforted the Olympian-turned-Labor senator with a pat on the back and a hug as she defended her decision to spend more time with her family.
"I may be leaving, but I'm leaving on my terms," she told reporters.
"No one should judge me ... I have to look after my children."
It took enormous personal dignity to choose to finish one part of your career and start another chapter, Mr Shorten said.
Her replacement is yet to be named.
Mr Shorten also continued his week's medical theme, announcing a suite of indigenous health spending commitments:
* $5.5 million for a program called Deadly Choices nationally aimed at encouraging Aboriginal people to live healthy lifestyles by improving diet, exercising and giving up smoking.
* Almost $300,000 to set up a national taskforce to address the kidney disease crisis in indigenous communities.
* $9.5 million for indigenous eye health services - visiting optometrists, specialist ophthamologists and trachoma prevention.
Mr Shorten said it was unacceptable Australia is the only developed nation with endemic levels of trachoma - the world's leading infectious cause of blindness, which is linked to poor hygiene.
