A new video featuring Geelong superstar Tom Hawkins has been released today giving a rare insight into his passion for farming.

Produced in-house at Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) as part of the Fibre of Football campaign, the video demonstrates the close and ongoing connections between farming communities and Australian football. Ever since a young Tom Wills thought of the game on his father’s sheep station in the 1850s, woolgrowing communities across Australia have been closely knitted together through football.

The video includes a rare insight into a Geelong dynasty, with both Tom’s mother Jennifer and former Geelong star John "Jumping Jack" Hawkins explaining life on the family’s sheep, beef and rice property near Finley, NSW.

"I certainly have a love of agriculture as that was my destiny and the footy came along on the way through. People certainly want to talk about sport and football. It is a really important part of small communities. It’s an important part of their life," John explains in the video.

Within the clip, Tom explains his passion for the country and his love of returning to the farm as an escape from life as an elite footballer. Before he became so however he honed his skills on the farm and used to kick a ball through a vent in the woolshed on his way to becoming one of the game’s great power forwards and goal-kickers.

Joining Tom as an advocate for the country and the wool industry is Fremantle superstar Nat Fyfe who features in his own video to be released in coming weeks. Ironically it is this weekend that both clubs meet in Round 2 of the AFL season.

The nation’s game and the nation’s fibre are being celebrated through the Fibre of Football campaign with AFL clubs this year selling 100% woolen football jumpers, scarves, beanies and gloves that are now on sale at www.shop.afl.com.au/woollen-range