He's shared a rehab room with Lance Franklin, now new Sydney Swan Nick Blakey hopes to soon be playing alongside the superstar forward.
Given Blakey has spent around two-thirds of his life around the Swans and is fresh off their academy production line, he was never likely to be starstruck when he turned up at training on Monday, three days after being drafted at No.10 by Sydney, who matched the bid of local rival GWS.
"I know all of the boys now being around the club last year and during the pre-season last year has definitely helped the transition into actually being a player," Blakey said.
While he aspires to returning to the midfield, where he played most of his junior football, the 195cm teenager is expected to push for a forward spot next year after impressing there in more recent times.
That could potentially place him alongside Franklin, who has already drawn praise for mentoring several of Sydney's younger forwards.
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"I was injured a lot last year and Bud (Franklin) wasn't training a lot because he had some niggles," Blakey said.
"I was doing a fair bit of rehab and a few rehab games with him so I've had some sort of role with him and we've got to know each other over the last year or so.
"Even coming in today (Monday), he was great and he said 'congratulations.' After I got drafted he sent me a message.
"It's sort of surreal that Buddy will be a teammate of mine and I'm looking forward to hopefully playing alongside him and I'll learn a few things off him that's for sure."
Blakey's father John, who racked up 359 senior games at Fitzroy and North Melbourne, has coached at Sydney for the past 12 years and is their head of development.
"I won't have a lot to do with dad, he'll oversee the whole process, but actually one-on-one he won't be telling me too much," Blakey said.
Two other recent Sydney academy graduates, Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills broke into the senior side straight away in 2015 and 16 respectively.
"I don't expect to come in and play round one although it is my goal to play early in the season," Blakey said.
