Young AFL hopefuls Callum Mills and Dylan McDonald have been given a chance to experience life at the elite level.

McDonald, from Albury, and Mills, from Sydney, have joined the GIANTS squad for pre-season training as part of their program at the NAB AFL Academy.

The pair are two of the 35 level-two members of the Academy joining AFL clubs for their second week-long placement as they prepare for the 2015 NAB AFL Draft.

McDonald, a member of the PM Capital GIANTS Academy, said it was an incredible opportunity to see what life as an AFL footballer would be like.

“It’s been pretty tough but it’s been a good experience, getting around the boys and learning how the boys at the AFL do it, it’s been good,” McDonald said.

“It’s actually been a lot different to what I expected. I suppose coming from Albury, it’s a lot drier down there and not as humid but it’s been good, I’ve loved it.

“I played with a few of the boys last year playing nationals and that sort of stuff so I knew Jack Steele, Jez Finlayson and I played with Caleb Marchbank in Bushies (Murray Bushrangers) last year too.”

Mills, who is a member of the Swans Academy and is expected to be drafted by the club at the end of this year, said it was great to see what life is like at another AFL club.

“It’s been really good, it’s been a great experience for me to learn the way professional AFL players go about their business and it’s been real eye-opener,” he said.

“It’s been pretty similar to what I expected, it’s been real solid, the training levels have been good and all the boys are getting around each other so it’s been good.”

McDonald has spent the week living with 2013 draftees Cam McCarthy and Jake Barrett while Mills has joined new draftees Jarrod Pickett and Paul Ahern and even had a GIANTS vice-captain take him under his wing.

“Heath Shaw’s been really good to me, a bit more as a mentor and and older bloke showing us around the club, the way they do things and the training expectations,” Mills said.

Seven members of the GIANTS and Swans Academies joined AFL lists in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft and Mills said the programs gave NSW and ACT players a pathway to the AFL.

“The development both Sydney and GWS have had into their kids, now you’re starting to see some of them playing AFL footy and it’s been great for the game and great for kids in NSW.”

After Jack Steele and Jeremy Finlayson joined the GIANTS from the PM Capital GIANTS Academy this off-season, McDonald is hoping to follow in their footsteps.

“I would absolutely love to play for the GIANTS, it would be a dream come true so fingers crossed,” he said.

McDonald, Mills and the rest of the squad will fly out for a 10-day high performance camp in Florida on Saturday.