But the club has been gaining metres off the field too with players, coaches and committee members acting on their commitment to be ambassadors for cultural change in a grass-roots attempt to stamp out domestic and family violence in the community.

The Wahoo Lounge hosted a full flock of Roosters last week at an awareness session as part of their ambassador program with the Tackling Domestic Violence initiative.

“Every jumper in our club bears the anti-domestic violence message,” club president Scott Costick said.

“I hope it brings an awareness in the community that it’s just not on.”

In 2015, when the club was first contracted to the sponsorship program there were 107 domestic violence assaults in the Nambucca Local Government Area, averaging at approximately two per week.

There are 31 NSW local footy clubs contracted with the program this year, but not all are as devoted to honouring the terms of the contract as the Roosters.

“You guys should be proud to be a part of this club and we applaud you for living up to your commitments in the program,” NSW Women’s Health representative and presenter Beck Couch said.

The crowd also heard from former St George Illawarra player Jay Little who knows only too well how devastating living with the consequences of domestic violence can be for victims and their families.

Jay shared his experience of living with a violent father and of feeling helpless as his sister was horrifically attacked by an ex-boyfriend leaving her in a vegetative state.

“This program is so important to our society, because so often this stuff happens behind closed doors,” Jay said.

“Most work in dealing with domestic and family violence so far has revolved around the victims, and not the perpetrators. But we’re going deep into men’s land to deliver a message to get blokes talking about it.

“90 per cent of perpetrators are men, so men have to own it, and men have to change it.”

The turn-out at the event is as clear an indication as anything that the Roosters are hearing the call.