As a wave of school children from Noble Park Language School stream out onto the local football field, there's a lot more connecting the group than you'd typically come to expect.

All have come from far-flung corners of the globe – Pakistan, Afghanistan, South Asia – and have only been in Australia with their families for six to 12 months. Most are only just beginning to learn English.

And none have ever experienced Australian Rules Football before.

As a part of St Kilda Football Club’s All Nations Program, supported by Moorabbin Airport, six primary schools – including 45 students from Noble Park Language School – experienced their first taste of the nation’s game through its Gala Day.

Launched in 2019, the community initiative looks to immerse some of Victoria’s most multicultural schools in Aussie Rules through school programs, round-robin tournaments, holiday clinics and Next Generation Academy scholarships.

Approximately 70 per cent of students involved in the All Nations program come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, with over 1400 students from 14 different primary schools participating in last term’s four-week skill development sessions.

Michael Wanyama, who has taught at Noble Park Language School for three years, said the All Nations Program was vital in helping students connect with each other and the community.

“St Kilda’s All Nations program is a fantastic, inclusive and engaging program,” Mr Wanyama said.

“Students were nervous at the start, however once they started to pick up the game as the day went on, they grew more and more confident.”

Noble Park Language School will now plan three match day experiences, accompanied by the Saints AFL Community Ambassadors.