FROM Gary Ablett's learnings on-field to Jeremy Cameron's off it, Geelong small forward Brad Close has had the best of both worlds to start his AFL career.

After being made to wait for a regular spot behind a bevy of small forwards – including Ablett – in his debut campaign last year, Close has burst through to be a senior regular at the Cats this season.  

And it's those teachings from Ablett that have allowed him to provide more spark in attack for the third-placed Cats in 2021. 

"He's probably one of the best footballers to ever play the game and I definitely pinched myself being able to run around with him," Close told AFL.com.au moments before boarding a bus on Wednesday bound for the airport for Thursday night's date with Fremantle. 

"There were a lot of little tricks he taught us boys last year, obviously being a bit later in his career his body probably wasn't as fast or mobile as it was previously … little things like using his smarts.

"Little positionings, he was one of the best on the crumb and the groundballs and the way he was able to manipulate his defender and make sure he had the best positioning when the ball came to ground, little things like that I got to learn."

Close's 13th consecutive game, and 21st overall, last week against Carlton was his third straight outing without a goal. 

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In any other era, a second-year player on a one-year rookie contract would have been fretting for his spot. However, his 22 pressure acts (second most on the ground) and 10 score involvements (match high) would suggest otherwise as he quickly becomes an integral part of Corey Enright's forward group. 

Close ranks sixth at the Cats for score involvements this year behind a list of guns – Tom Hawkins, Cameron, Mitch Duncan, Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood. And his major focus – his pressure – has seen him rank among the Cats' top five for pressure acts across the past six games. 

"First of all, something we look to start with is just our pressure," Close said of the key indicators for the Cats' small forwards that will also include Gryan Miers and Luke Dahlhaus against the Dockers. 

"It's something we can control as high half-forwards and being able to get up the ground and get back towards the goal is something we base our game off."

The 23-year-old was made to go the long way around to win a spot on the Cats' list at the end of 2019. 

A premiership player for local club North Gambier as a 16-year-old in 2014, Close resisted the temptation to move to boarding school in Adelaide and instead stay at home. 

Another impressive season as a senior regular followed for the Tigers in 2015 before he tasted success again with a 35-goal season in 2016 just months after his 18th birthday. 

Operating between wing and half-forward while pulling in spectacular marks with his customary long sleeves, Close again piled on 36 goals in 2017 before making the jump to play seven SANFL games for Glenelg in 2018. 

The following season he played 21 matches at SANFL level, winning his third senior premiership in six years over Port Adelaide and having his name called by the Cats. 

Close credits fellow mature-age draftee Tom Stewart as a mentor with advice in stepping up to AFL level, while Miers and key forwards Hawkins and Cameron have assisted with his forward craft. 

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But it's the link between Close and Cameron (their hometowns separated by just 50km) that has been the most profound this year in Cameron's first year as a Cat since crossing from GWS. 

"Me and Jez get along pretty well," Close said. 

"We come from the same sort of spot, south-east South Australia and south-west Victoria … he grew up just across the border in Dartmoor so not far from Mount Gambier. 

"We both love getting out to go fishing and he's taken me out a couple of times and it's a good way to get away from footy. (It's) probably (been through) just me nagging him so much to take me out. He's in his element out there, he loves it. 

"It's also been good on-field, I love playing with him and he brings a lot of excitement to the team as well and hopefully he's back on the park soon."