(CNN) Quaden Bayles, a 9-year-old Australian boy who won the support of well-wishers around the world after being bullied for his dwarfism, has led out a rugby league team in front of thousands of cheering fans.

Bayles walked out with the National Rugby League's Indigenous All Stars team ahead of an exhibition match against the New Zealand Maoris on Saturday.

He had been invited by the entire team in a video posted online, in which captain Latrell Mitchell told him: "We've got your back. We're here to support you, bud."

Quaden leads out the Indigenous all stars 👏 #NRLAllStars pic.twitter.com/tJpJt2cdG6 — NRL (@NRL) February 22, 2020

Earlier in the week Bayles' mother Yarraka, from the Australian state of Queensland, posted a heartbreaking Facebook Live video to raise awareness of the impact of bullying. In the video, she said her son had previously attempted suicide.

"This is what bullying does," she said in the video. "Can you please educate your children, your families, your friends?"

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