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THREE years and a cricket season separate Melbourne defender Tom McDonald and his younger brother Oscar.
In a little over two weeks an AFL jumper might come between the likely country lads too.
That's because Oscar is considered a strong chance of being drafted when the NAB AFL Draft is held on the Gold Coast on November 27 after charging into draft calculations with an outstanding finish to the TAC Cup season.
Four years ago, Tom was picked up at the somewhat speculative pick No.53 in the 2010 NAB AFL Draft.
Oscar might go a little earlier with few experts predicting he will still be around when Melbourne uses its third pick at No.40.
Click here to check out Oscar McDonald's draft profile and watch his 2014 highlights
That will put Tom in the same boat as the Demons' co-captains Nathan Jones (brother of the Sydney Swans' Zak) and Jack Grimes (brother of Richmond's Dylan), with a sibling in a jumper other than the red and the blue.
From Tom's perspective, hearing Oscar's name called out by a Melbourne-based club would be ideal although he understands he could end up anywhere.
Tom's reasoning his sound: he wants to live with his brother.
"I was away in boarding school in year 12 and then he was away at school so we have not spent much time together in the last three or four years," Tom told AFL.com.au.
"I'd love for him to come and live with me for a year and sort of learn what it was about for a year if the other club was all right with that. I assume they would not have too much of an issue with that."
But being a football mentor is not the only logic behind that wish.
"Just to spend time with him would be good," Tom said.
The 22-year-old is impressed with what his 18-year-old brother has shown in the limited times he has managed to catch him play with North Ballarat in the TAC Cup. He was especially taken by the improvement he saw between the beginning and the end of the season.
By then the nerves had disappeared and Oscar was attacking the game with confidence.
"He was actually quite dominant so he started to find his mark and he fitted in well with the group of guys there and felt a lot more comfortable."
Oscar made the TAC Cup team of the year, won the TAC Cup coaches award and was club best and fairest. He didn't make the Vic Country team for the mid-year national U18 championships but he would have been a certain selection had it been held at the end of the season.
His No.6 jumper began to bob up everywhere for North Ballarat.
Tom thinks Oscar is smart on and off the field.
He has good hands, marks well and can kick the ball with both feet. Tom said his younger brother always had good hand-eye co-ordination and it comes to the fore in the way he plays his football.
"He doesn't look like he is in much of a rush or looks like he is moving super quick but he is never in the wrong spot," Tom said.
Those attributes bring to mind former Melbourne teammate Jared Rivers.
Oscar's brainpower is pretty strong too.
The youngster surprised one recruiter during an interview when he fired back an answer to a mathematical question within seconds, taking the sound advice his brother gave him to be himself when answering questions.
However, Tom is worried he may have taken the advice a little too far.
"He tells me that he has been cracking jokes in interviews so I don't know about that," McDonald said.
That sounds like an older brother speaking from experience however he has confidence he will be ready to go if a club gives him a chance. He has started running and Tom's helped him make a slow and steady start on the weights.
The draft is a little over two weeks away. The McDonalds might become the latest pair of brothers on AFL lists, with 22 sets of siblings playing across the competition last season.
It only needs one call: Oscar McDonald, North Ballarat Rebels/Edenhope and his AFL story can begin.
"I'd love him to end up in Melbourne," McDonald said.
From Tom's perspective, hearing Oscar's name called out by a Melbourne-based club would be ideal although he understands he could end up anywhere.
Tom's reasoning his sound: he wants to live with his brother.
"I was away in boarding school in year 12 and then he was away at school so we have not spent much time together in the last three or four years," Tom told AFL.com.au.
"I'd love for him to come and live with me for a year and sort of learn what it was about for a year if the other club was all right with that. I assume they would not have too much of an issue with that."
But being a football mentor is not the only logic behind that wish.
"Just to spend time with him would be good," Tom said.
The 22-year-old is impressed with what his 18-year-old brother has shown in the limited times he has managed to catch him play with North Ballarat in the TAC Cup. He was especially taken by the improvement he saw between the beginning and the end of the season.
By then the nerves had disappeared and Oscar was attacking the game with confidence.
"He was actually quite dominant so he started to find his mark and he fitted in well with the group of guys there and felt a lot more comfortable."
Oscar made the TAC Cup team of the year, won the TAC Cup coaches award and was club best and fairest. He didn't make the Vic Country team for the mid-year national U18 championships but he would have been a certain selection had it been held at the end of the season.
His No.6 jumper began to bob up everywhere for North Ballarat.
Tom thinks Oscar is smart on and off the field.
He has good hands, marks well and can kick the ball with both feet. Tom said his younger brother always had good hand-eye co-ordination and it comes to the fore in the way he plays his football.
"He doesn't look like he is in much of a rush or looks like he is moving super quick but he is never in the wrong spot," Tom said.
Those attributes bring to mind former Melbourne teammate Jared Rivers.
Oscar's brainpower is pretty strong too.
The youngster surprised one recruiter during an interview when he fired back an answer to a mathematical question within seconds, taking the sound advice his brother gave him to be himself when answering questions.
However, Tom is worried he may have taken the advice a little too far.
"He tells me that he has been cracking jokes in interviews so I don't know about that," McDonald said.
That sounds like an older brother speaking from experience however he has confidence he will be ready to go if a club gives him a chance. He has started running and Tom's helped him make a slow and steady start on the weights.
The draft is a little over two weeks away. The McDonalds might become the latest pair of brothers on AFL lists, with 22 sets of siblings playing across the competition last season.
It only needs one call: Oscar McDonald, North Ballarat Rebels/Edenhope and his AFL story can begin.
"I'd love him to end up in Melbourne," McDonald said.
