ESSENDON father-son candidate Alwyn Davey Jr is not worried about which club he ends up at, he just wants to play at the top level. The son of Alwyn Davey Sr (100 games) and nephew of Melbourne talent Aaron (178), Alwyn Jr has long been touted as a future Bomber talent, but the Northern Territory teenager admitted he was just happy to land anywhere.

“Nothing’s too certain yet, we’re still finalising some stuff especially with managers and Essendon itself, but I would be happy to be anywhere at this point,” Davey said. I really don’t mind where I get drafted even if it’s WA or SA. It would be a good learning scenario.”

A boarder at Xavier College, Davey said his experience in Victoria – where he played for both school and Oakleigh Chargers – had been memorable.

“I came here probably four years ago at the start of Year 9. It was a bit of a struggle, especially bonding with all these students who had been around since Year 1,” Davey said. But ever since I went in this boarder community they really came in and take me, and all these other boarders that came from the same situation as me we really bonded really well and quite easily.”

Though not completely locked in to the red and black, Davey said training alongside AFL players at his father’s club in the preseason was an “unreal experience”.

“I would definitely say it’s been so good lately, especially training with Essendon in the preseason and learning off all these superstars of the game like Zach Merrett,” he said. “Learning from them was an unreal experience. After a drill they would usually come one-on-one or face-to-face and just say what I could have done to get the ball a bit more.”

Davey said he took more after his uncle rather than his father, with his decision making one of his strengths, mirroring that of Aaron. However, both brothers have passed down their trademark speed. Alwyn’ Jr abilities without the ball are just as impressive as with it, naming defensive pressure as another strength, while he is hoping to improve his endurance and adapting to the higher speed of the game when he gets to the elite level.

Alwyn Jr’s twin brother Jayden Davey did not have the same luck as the Vic Metro representative, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in preseason while playing a game of touch.

“How he did it was a bit disappointing, playing just a little game of touch but I’m just really proud of him how he’s recovering right now and how good he’s really taking care of his rehab and I’m sure he’ll come out better and stronger in a sense,” Alwyn Jr said.

“I would definitely say there are some similarities (between Jayden and I) like speed and taking on the game, but the differences between me and him is that he loves a good sense of goals and he loves kicking a few bags or so, while for me I just love setting or assisting the goals.”

Davey does not take his experiences for granted, being able to play out a full season with Xavier College and the Chargers, speaking highly of his teammates at Oakleigh with many of them rated in the first round.

“It’s surreal, especially with how we got this year without any interruptions, especially with Covid,” Davey said. “Very surreal with how we get to play in a whole 30-odd games or so, just very happy about that.

“Teaming up with all those (Oakleigh) boys was just good. Having people in that same category, and people even ranking closer to each other, it felt pretty cool. It felt like a dream team or so, I was very, very happy playing alongside all the boys at Oakleigh.”

Though yet to officially commit to the Bombers, Davey admitted his father would be in his ear about his footy and how to navigate the entry into the elite level. Now it is a game of wait and see whether Davey can don the sash in 2023.