SO OFTEN, the first week of pre-season is described as being the first week back at school.

Well, for Billy Wilson, this feels like his first week of Year 8.

“It’s good having the younger crew in. You don’t feel like you’re the baby - I’m not the Year 7 anymore!”

Just like Ashton Moir, it’s hard to get your head around that the two have now officially been at IKON Park for a year. Selected five picks apart in the 2023 AFL Draft, they now all of a sudden have younger teammates who are coming to them for guidance.

For Wilson, while he’s still dreaming of an AFL debut, he feels as though there’s one piece of advice in particular which he can provide - and it was one he received quite a few times himself.

“The first year is a learning year: I wish I knew how much of a learning year it was,” Wilson said.

“I’ve explained to the new guys to take it all in and enjoy the ride. I probably put a bit too much pressure on myself last year.”

What does that look like?

“You don’t know what to expect. You get drafted and while you’re not expected to nail everything straight away, you expect yourself to. To hit every target.

“Then it’s like ‘what am I doing stuffing up? I’m playing AFL’. As you go more throughout the year, you realise there are guys like Sam Walsh that are still getting better now.

“I’m not putting too much stress on myself this year, it’s pretty simple for me: it’s just to come back better. Fitter, bigger, stronger and a better version of what I was last year.”

Wilson played 13 of 18 available games in the VFL last season, largely off half-back. There were clear instances - particularly as the year progressed - of the combination of speed and ball use which had the Blues quickly calling out his name with pick No.34 in the draft last year.

But it wasn’t without some frustrations. The majority of those five games on the sidelines were due to a lingering knee injury, while he also had a few games where he came out of the action at half time.

“It was pretty annoying. I was coming into some good form, had a slight knee injury, came back, played half a game, was in and out. But it’s all part of that learning experience.

“I didn’t have a lot of playing time in the legs. To see Ash go about it the way he did, he took his debut with both hands which was pretty cool to watch. And to see Coop come in the way he did, he earned his opportunity pretty soon after he started.

“It just makes you hungrier.”

What that time did do was allow Wilson to foster closer relationships with his new teammates, particularly with some senior Blues who took him under their wing from the outset.

From an off-field perspective, there’s arguably nobody better for Wilson to learn from than Adam Saad… and a red-and-black connection in a very, very distant past life makes it all the more significant for the 19-year-old.

“‘Saady’ is the main one. We get along really well and he’s been really good for me.

“I was a Bombers man and I absolutely loved watching him play. Getting to play with him and learn from him, it’s pretty cool.

“In terms of watching vision and then on-field, he’s there guiding me. He’s a good character, so friendly. We chat about the half-back role quite a bit. We’re not completely similar, but it’s a similar role to the one I want to play.

“The interest of midfield is definitely still there for me, but it’s trying to nail the one role first before having that secondary option.”

Then, there’s Charles.

Billy moved in with the co-vice captain on a temporary basis immediately post-draft, like his other fellow draftees. But while the others moved, Billy hung around.

“I think I did hang around longer than I was meant to, I’m not even sure if he realised. He’s even invited me back in, so he must’ve thought I was alright.

“I’m out now, I was there for a couple of months — longer than all the other draftees were in. It’s great having Charlie there for me: the way he looked after me throughout that whole time was amazing.”

And then, there’s Dad.

Those familiar with Carlton Media channels will know all about Jason Boyd - Jordan’s old man who lives and breathes his football, travelling far and wide to watch his son in action.

As Billy puts it, there may be a challenger to that throne in the form of Aaron Wilson.

“The boys are starting to click onto him! Dad loves it. He just loves footy clubs in general, he’d do anything to be around… he’s somewhat around the mark of Boydy’s old man.

“I actually played for the same three local clubs as Dad did. When I was growing up, he was seniors at Rosebud. I’d be either playing for Red Hill or Dromana juniors, but then I’d be going back on Saturdays to watch Rosebud play. Then I had the opportunity to play for Rosebud a couple of times growing up when I was at the Stingrays.

“He loves it, he loves all the lads.”