Parramatta teammates Josh Hoffman and Will Smith spotted helping homeless couple in Darwin

VIDEO: Parramatta were in Darwin in the lead-up to their clash against the Cowboys last weekend, when Eels Josh Hoffman and Will Smith saw an elderly couple doing it tough.

WHEN Parramatta teammates Josh Hoffman and Will Smith saw an elderly couple doing it tough they were moved to help in any way they could.

The Eels were away in Darwin in the lead-up to their clash against the Cowboys last weekend when Hoffman and Smith decided to go for a stroll in the evening.

In their sights was some ice cream, a small treat to end the day.

But as they made their way to the ice cream parlour they came across a struggling homeless couple on the street.

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Josh Hoffman couldn’t just walk past without helping. (Brett Costello)

“It was the night before the game, we were walking on the way to get some ice cream,” Hoffman said.

“We were heading to Cold Rock and we saw an elderly couple, a homeless man and a lady, on the sidewalk.

“Will suggested after we get ice cream we go to Coles supermarket and get some food and a bag of treats for them and some bottles of water.”

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As he and his teammate hatched their plan to help, Hoffman says he was stunned at how desensitised the public were to the homeless couple and how they were completely ignored by passers-by.

“I think just sitting there while were having our ice cream and watching the people walk past it just sort of shocked us in a way,” he said.

“Even just giving a lending hand doesn’t go astray so we thought we’d go and get some food.

“We walked up to the elderly couple and his partner was asleep on the sidewalk. Will and I gave to them the food we grabbed … muesli bars, treats and some water.

“It put a smile on his face and I’m sure he really enjoyed it.”

Smith wanted to give a helping hand. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING

Hoffman, who is a proud Torres Strait Islander, said it always cuts close to home seeing indigenous Australians struggling to survive.

“We come from pretty big families where our culture is a big part of our life,” he said.

“Seeing one of our people, our indigenous people on the sidewalk like that, homeless, it touched home a bit.

“We come from a giving family and we like to give as well.

“It was just an instinct thing. We both just wanted to give back to the community. It was just one of those things that just happened there and then.”

The 30-year old credited his tight-knit upbringing in a large family for nurturing within him the importance of giving and generosity.

“We tend to share we get. We didn’t grow up with much but whatever we did get we shared with each other,” he said.

The Eels winger told The Daily Telegraph he is planning on turning helping people into a career post rugby league.

Like the elders he looked up to in his community, Hoffman wants to be a role model for indigenous children and teenagers.

“I’m doing my Cert IV in youth work, I’m trying to give back to the community,” he said.

“I love to work with young kids just putting a smile on their face.

“You know, even if I’m just helping one child get through their day by being beside them and just helping them even if it’s just with their day-to-day life.

“It’s something I have grown up with especially with the elders, uncles and aunties, have always been there for me.

“I just want to be that inspiration for young kids coming through too.”

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Originally published as Parramatta teammates Josh Hoffman and Will Smith spotted helping homeless couple in Darwin