NRL ambassador Mario Fenech had a thousand things to tell students at Ambarvale and Thomas Reddall high schools last week, but in the end his message boiled down to one simple point: “have a dig.”

The former South Sydney Rabbitohs player and media personality told students they were faced with a very simple equation: have a dig and be a winner, or take the “soft option” and do nothing.

Education formed the centrepiece of his message as he spoke to students as part of the Macarthur Chronicle’s Inspire program.

“You need more than just raw ability to be successful,” Fenech said.

“I look back and think that if I didn’t have an education my life after football would’ve been very different.

“You don’t realise that fact until you get older. The good footballers are the intelligent ones that have something of an education.”

Born in Malta, the former Rabbitohs captain said he found it difficult to fit in as a child before playing league because he was called a “wog, a dago and everything else.”

Fenech had a strong connection with the children and spent half an hour after the speech taking questions and getting photographed.

Asked who his biggest inspiration was, the NRL One Community ambassador said without a doubt it would have to be his father.

“My father came out here with me and my family when I was only ten months old, and built his business up from nothing,” he said.

“He always encouraged me to not only do my best in rugby league, but also to push myself at school.

Others speakers coming to the Macarthur region soon are Channel 10 newsreader Sandra Sully and Taronga Zoo head veterinarian Larry Vogelnest.