NSW/ACT Rams captain Ranga Ediriwickrama says irrespective of whether he ends up making it to the top level or not, the AFL’s scholarship program on offer for youngsters in northern states helps make players better footballers.

Ediriwickrama is on scholarship with Geelong, and could join the reigning premier later this year should the Cats opt to select him in the NAB AFL Draft in November.

If they don’t, the impressive midfielder will be open to any of the 15 other AFL clubs.

But whether he makes it to the big time or not, Ediriwickrama says the experience of rubbing shoulders with some of football’s elite has helped him become a better player.

“I was down for a week in the December holidays, and I also went down in about February for an intra-club game and got to play in that ... it was a really good experience,” Ediriwickrama said of his time with the Cats.

While the pacy onballer ran with the likes of David Wojcinski and James Kelly during the pre-season scratch match, it was a fellow youngster that left the biggest impression on the highly-touted ballwinner.

“I really like the way Joel Selwood goes about it at Geelong,” he said.

“Just what I’ve seen from him at training … his professionalism, and just that he’s such a young player and he’s such a leader.”

Ediriwickrama missed last Saturday’s round of matches, but has been among the standouts of the carnival in earlier matches.

Click here to read a Q&A with the NSW/ACT RAMS captain.