CULCAIRN Fire Brigade captain Andrew Godde has accepted a personal invitation from John Longmire to address his All Stars players before Friday night's State of Origin bushfire fundraiser against Victoria.
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Mr Godde was contacted by Longmire earlier this week to speak about his involvement in the Green Valley bushfire and the loss of volunteer firefighter Samuel McPaul.
Mr Godde and Mr McPaul were on the same truck when it was thrown over "like a rag doll" near Jingellic on December 30.
"I haven't spoken much about it and I think the time is probably right," Mr Godde said.
"I've been through a horrible experience and young Sam has lost his life.
"I'll do my best to honour Sam and the ripping young bloke he was.
"AFL players can live in a bit of a bubble down there so it won't hurt them to learn what has gone on and what this game is all about."
Mr Godde has also been asked to present the medal to the man-of-the-match after Friday night's match at Marvel Stadium.
A near sell-out crowd is expected with Mr Godde saying it would be a fitting tribute to all involved in the bushfires.
"Sometimes good things can come out of really bad situations," he said.
"It will be an honour to be down there and involved in some way.
"It's all about the firefighters who lost their lives, Sam's family and all the people who lost their farms and livelihoods up at Corryong and Jingellic. "It's obviously impacted a lot of people."
Mr Godde is also president of the Culcairn Football Netball Club.
He was treated at Holbrook hospital after receiving burns to his hands while his cousin Rodney O'Keeffe was flown to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne after suffering serious burns in the accident.
Mr McPaul was a mechanic in Culcairn and member of the Morven brigade.
"The support has been amazing from the community to the RFS to everyone else," he said.
"Everyone is just trying to get on with life now.
"Friday night will be a good thing."
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The AFL has committed $2.5 million to the fundraising match to help rebuild the fire-ravaged communities that have been affected by the disaster.
"People are going through some really tough times and I think everybody has been thinking about ways that they can help," Longmire said.
"I don't think there's many people who haven't been touched or know people that have been touched throughout the country in some way, shape or form.
"I'm no different to anyone else, so I'm thrilled to play some small part in being able to help."
