More than 150 of Melbourne University’s international students – each one of them sporting dark Navy Blue scarves and matching caps – got their first taste of that quaint little game called Australian Rules football at the weekend, as guests of the Carlton Football Club.

The students - from Canada, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore and the United States – took their places in the Great Southern Stand for Saturday’s Carlton-Adelaide match at the MCG.

Earlier, they were subjected to a crash course in the great game from Development Coach and 2004 John Nicholls Medallist David Teague. Carlton players including Dennis Armfield, David Ellard, Shaun Hampson and Sam Jacobs were also on hand to sign autographs and pose for photographs with the students. Copies of the club’s 2008 season guide were also made available to the students, as was the traditional football fare, pies and sauce.

With the Carlton Football Club and Melbourne University effectively next-door neighbours on Royal Parade, the university’s international students have been encouraged to adopt the mighty Blues as their team of choice.

The students have also taken advantage of a Carlton Football Club/Melbourne University Student Union city rewards card which offers benefits on nearby Lygon Street – the Carlton Football Club’s spiritual home away from home.

Wendy Wen Li Teoh, Vice-President (Activities) Melbourne University Overseas Students Service, said that the students were captivated by the game itself (end result aside) and truly appreciative of Teague’s pre-match address.

“A lot of the students hadn’t seen a game before . . . some of us had seen one game or two, but not many of us really knew how the game was played,” Wendy said.

“It was good that David talked to us because now we understand.”

Wendy said that the students were greatly impressed by the vast expanses of the MCG and declared that despite the team’s 30-point loss, all were committed to supporting Carlton.

“We have heard good things about Carlton. We understand that the Carlton team is on the rise,” she said.