Teacher of the Year using rugby league in teaching

Deep in the heart of the Sydney Roosters territory a South Sydney Rabbitohs fanatic has infiltrated the ranks, but the locals don't mind because he's spreading the gospel of rugby league.

As part of the NRL Community Awards, Galilee Catholic Primary School teacher Brendan Davis was named National Teacher of the Year for passionately bringing different aspects of the game and tying them in with the school curriculum. The award is proudly supported by Accor Hotels.

CEO Todd Greenberg and Roosters prop Dylan Napa presented the award at a school assembly. A humbled Davis said the award was a complete surprise.

"You could honestly give an award out every day to someone who's doing something great in the community or in our schools," Brendan said.

"I was first and foremost just stoked to be one of the finalists.

"When it all happened and when I was presented with the award it definitely took me by surprise, but I'm very honoured to call myself the winner."

Some of Brendan's earliest memories are of rugby league. His love for the game grew after spending his weekends watching his dad play lower grades with the Rabbitohs.

"We are a South Sydney family through and through," Brendan said.

"I recall the first video I ever watched as a toddler was the 1987 grand final and I remember I was on the news as a three-year-old meeting Mal Meninga.

"I've always been around footy, especially growing up with my old man playing for South Sydney ... unfortunately too many concussions stopped him from playing."

As well as keeping his students active by getting a ball in their hands, Davis implements some of the core beliefs used by the NRL in his teaching methods; unity, inclusion and resilience.

"Rugby league is something that I'm passionate about so it goes hand in hand with my teaching practices and if you're creative enough I think it can lend itself to any of the key learning areas," Brendan said.

"There's obviously the sporting aspect where we love to run the backyard league programs and put them into teams. I love getting my kids out and run them through skills and drills with them.

"I love using examples of resilience and teamwork in all areas, while putting on videos with for the kids and talk about statistics and look at prediction when we're doing maths.

"I give them examples of rugby league players and how the kids can create stories around resilience or coming back from an injury and how it can we tough yet rewarding as well."

Ensuring his students get the most out of his lessons, Brendan said the NRL are giving an opportunity for his students to learn important messages in a fun way.

"I think that is where rugby league has the hold over other codes - they've provided so many opportunities for the kids to be active and have fun with their friends," Brendan said.

"A huge thing especially is that we want these kids to be young, fit and healthy but we also want to make sure that mentally and socially they're aware of the connections they're making and have good positive relationships with others."