FOR former State Of Origin player Dallas Johnson setting goals is "super important".

With NRL development officer Scott Zahra, Johnson headed to Biggenden and Gayndah this week, to speak to school students and work on their footy skills.

Johnson told Biggenden students to eat well and look after their bodies.

"You only get one (body)," he said.

"So fuel it with the right foods."

Students were told to push hard for their goals

"They are super important however big or small," he said.

"Make sure you cross them off when you achieve them.

"I still set goals today."

Zahra was one of the specialist coaches at the clinic in Gayndah and in his years in the role has identified traits common among country players.

"Work ethic, I think being brought up knowing that you won't have everything handed to you on a silver spoon is a big thing," Zahra said.

"Knowing that you need to work hard to get where you want to go."

Johnson is a small town kid himself which adds to the appeal of these clinics.

"I come from somewhere pretty remote, the Atherton Tablelands, and we didn't get much contact with the NRL players," Johnson said.

"So it's good to get out here and the guys really appreciate it which makes me feel really good that I am giving back to young players."

One of those young players is Brumbies player Jonah Macdonald.

"Yeah this is really good because you get to learn how to play footy with new skills," Macdonald said.

"And it's good knowing we are learning from someone who played the game."

This was Macdonald's second clinic, with the first being at his primary school, and he said it helped keep his skills sharp.