THERE'S no doubt two years of playing senior football in the SANFL will help talented South Australian midfielder James Aish when it comes to moving into the AFL system.
 
And, the experience of running out in two Grand Finals – the second of which is on Sunday when Aish's club Norwood takes on North Adelaide at AAMI Stadium – will simply give the top 10 NAB AFL Draft fancy an even bigger advantage. 
 
The 17-year-old, who became the youngest player in SANFL history to make his senior debut last season, is mature beyond his years when it comes to approaching next month's draft.
 

It all comes back to playing for the club his family is deeply intertwined with, which is an experience that means plenty to the modest year 12 student before he sets off on his AFL journey.
 
"I'm very honoured and it's really special to me that I'm playing for Norwood, let alone in a successful period," Aish told AFL.com.au.
 
"I've developed a lot of friendships and relationships with people at the club so I just want to do the club proud and help build that dynasty that we're talking about.
 
"We're pretty confident that if we do what we can do, we'll do well on the weekend."
 
Aish says he comes from a modest family, which shines through in his reluctance to chat too much about himself and his role in Norwood's 2012 premiership.
 
It would be easy for him to talk himself up, such is his family's stance within the SANFL club and his personal achievements to date.
 
His father Andrew and uncle Michael – who won the Magarey Medal in 1981 – played for the club, while his grandfather Peter captained and coached it and his cousin Jesse currently plays at half-back.
 
On Sunday, when Norwood runs out for its crack at consecutive flags, there will be plenty of the family's representatives in the crowd at AAMI Stadium.
 
While Aish could be forgiven for having one eye on his own future, with the NAB AFL Combine on in Melbourne, his sole focus this week is back-to-back flags.
 
"As a team, we just want to do it again," he said.
 
"I'm from a very modest family so they don't talk too much about it, even within each other, but it would mean a lot to them.
 
"My grandpa, who's getting on a bit these days, also played for the club and captained it as well so I think it's pretty special for us all."

Norwood coach Nathan Bassett is someone Aish considers influential on his development as a player.
 
The former Crow gave him his first opportunity to play for the Redlegs, after instigating a policy of picking the best player for the best position, regardless of age.
 
While Aish maintains he was simply "in the right place at the right time", there's no doubt his talent as an outside midfielder with exceptional decision-making skills played a large part in his breakthrough at the age of 16.
 
"I'm pretty lucky he showed a lot of faith in me early and just kept picking me. I'm pretty thankful for that," he said.
 
"What I've learnt through team meetings, the individual reviews ... he's been sensational.
 
"His football brain is second to none. Just the little things he picks up on has been a great help for me."
 
This season, Aish has had to overcame adversities; first, the recovery from December surgery to repair a "sloppy" shoulder, and then being heavily tagged at the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.
 
But he considers them both learning experiences that leave him better prepared for what comes next – a likely move interstate he says parents Andrew and Jill, and siblings Nick, John and Phoebe, were preparing themselves for.
 
As for what excites him the most about an AFL career, Aish's response typifies the type of person he is.
 
It's not about playing at the MCG or earning the big bucks or becoming a household name that signs autographs.
 
Instead, for the humble dual All Australian, it's about "doing it for your life and living the dream".
 
"And, being in a position where you can improve yourself every day," he added.
 
"Generally, good people come out of footy clubs. You meet a lot of great people, which probably goes a bit unrecognised and unnoticed a bit too much.
 
"I think you just build yourself and you can do a lot of work in the community to help people and have a positive influence."