When Luke Davies-Uniacke's name started getting tossed around as a potential No.1 pick this year, it wasn't too hard to get advice on how to deal with the hype.
One of his mates is Jacob Weitering, who two years earlier had been in a similar situation. The two are connected through the Dandenong Stingrays, but also by personal trainer and massage therapist Bryce Marshman, who has worked for several years with both players as well as other prospective draftees including fellow Stingray and top-10 chance Hunter Clark.
Davies-Uniacke and Weitering don't speak all that often, but the younger man knows Weitering - taken at No.1 by Carlton two years ago - is there if he needs some counsel.
"He gave me a couple of tips on how to deal with the pressure," Davies-Uniacke said.
Not that it looks like he's needed much assistance. The big-bodied midfielder looks ready-made to step into an AFL club. He has pace to get away from the clinches, and a good head on his shoulders, so that when his name was being pumped up around the time of the national championships, Davies-Uniacke wasn't about to get overly flustered.
"I'm a pretty laid-back, relaxed kind of guy. I'm not too fussed about it," he says.
"You always hear about it, my mates have a bit of banter and a little gag about it but I'm not too fussed. I know straight away whatever pick I am it gets wiped straight away when I walk into a club and I just have to earn the respect of my teammates and coaches."
As a footballer, Davies-Uniacke has been successful wherever he's gone. Growing up in the juniors at Rye he snagged best and fairests as his team won four premierships out of five. He earned a scholarship at Haileybury, where he was this year part of a star-studded team - which included fellow No.1 contender Andy Brayshaw, likely draftees Charlie Constable and Oscar Clavarino, and highly-rated 2018 draft hopeful twins Max and Ben King - that went through the season undefeated.
"That was unreal," Davies-Uniacke says. "Especially the game against Brighton Grammar. That was probably my all-time favourite highlight this year. Playing in front of a good crowd, big win."
Going to Haileybury took Davies-Uniacke outside his comfort zone. It was another current AFL player who helped him settle.
"That's when I grew more as a person, matured," he says.
"Going into a new environment, I wasn't too comfortable with it but I met the likes of Kieran Collins who plays for the Western Bulldogs now and he looked after me.
"I've loved every minute of it."
Collins, two years older than Davies-Uniacke, joined the Dogs in the same draft as Weitering. Then last year Cameron Polson (Carlton) and Jack Scrimshaw (Gold Coast) also got drafted out of Haileybury. Davies-Uniacke says he remains in touch with all three of his "great mates".
It makes sense that he would have got pretty close to his school footy mates, but home has remained in Rye. It's made for a lot of very long days, getting up at 6:30 in the morning and often not getting home until 9pm during the footy season.
That's part of what appeals to him about teaching, which is what he wants to do away from football. He had a taste in year 10 work experience.
"I loved it. Late starts, so sleep in, early ends," he says.
"The ATAR's achievable too."
His passion though, and it is no secret, is surfing.
One of his year 12 subjects was media, and as part of the course he made a surfing film clip. His home ground is Rye back beach and his hero is Mick Fanning.
"You'll probably see me out there every time it's good," Davies-Uniacke says.
"I know every man and their dog out there.
"I'm always saying g'day to everyone."
Surfing is his "away time" where little goes through his mind. "Just worrying about the next wave."
Davies-Uniacke's surname is a combination of his parents' names: Davies from his mum, Uniacke from his dad. His only sibling, half-sister Tara Davies, is more than a decade older than him. She used to work for 3AW and was part of the production team on TV shows The Voice and Married at First Sight.
So if Luke needs any more help dealing with the hype, celebrities could be only a couple of calls away.
