WHEN Will Setterfield decided to move from Albury to take up a boarding scholarship at Caulfield Grammar two years ago, he always hoped it would advance his football ambitions.

He had heard about the private school football program and how he might be able to get involved with a TAC Cup side when in Melbourne, and loved the idea of finishing school and heading straight out on to the oval for a kick-to-kick. One thing he didn't consider was the better access to AFL games.

"Going to the footy on the weekend and watching games live has been a huge thing for me," Setterfield told AFL.com.au this week. "We used to come down for maybe four games a year but now you can see four games a weekend. I'm obsessed with going to the footy now."

Setterfield watches games not just for the fun of it. Although attached to Greater Western Sydney through its zone, the midfielder is regarded as one of the best prospects in this year's NAB AFL Draft pool. He uses a day at the footy for education, having been told by national academy head coach Brenton Sanderson that he should study players he wants to follow.

"I try to do that as much as I can. I went to a Fremantle game earlier in the year and watched David Mundy, and then went to a Carlton game and looked at how Patrick Cripps plays," Setterfield said. 

"I try to watch the tall midfielders because that's the type of player I aspire to be and I keep a keen eye on how they do what they do so well." 

It's Setterfield's size and shape that has many recruiters excited by his potential, with the Sandringham Dragon standing at 190cm. It allows the 18-year-old to move through congestion swiftly, set up the play smoothly and play with a hardness and versatility hard to stop. He can also move back, forward or on to a wing when required.

Setterfield will be a key player for NSW-ACT Rams throughout its division two NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, which start against Queensland on Sunday at Blacktown. But just being out there is a good thing for Setterfield, who has endured a tough injury run recently. 

Setterfield played for the Rams at last year's championships as a bottom-age player, but three games in a short time was a load his knee could not handle after having surgery to lose a lesion on his left patella at the end of 2014.

He played throughout the pain for the first half of the year, but when it resurfaced after the national carnival Setterfield sought more advice. 

He was told to stop playing and, although he would avoid follow-up surgery, he had to go through another round of rehab. Setterfield did not play again for 2015, missing more than three months and only resuming running in December when he spent a week with the Giants as part of his program with the AFL Academy.

"Last year wasn't what I planned it to be, but hopefully I can go full strength and play the whole season this year," Setterfield said.

"The time out tested me mentally, but I got used to doing everything perfectly in rehab to the point where it won't happen again. I learnt that an injury isn't the end of the world and that you can come back from things, whether they're big or small."

Will Setterfield has high hopes for the national carnival. Picture: AFL Media

Being switched on to his fitness requirements has been another benefit of living in Melbourne. Setterfield has shopped for himself at the supermarket and learnt to avoid the boarding house dim sims and potato cakes that are always on offer. "I've realised I need to look after myself more and I'd have never have done that at home," he said.

Living away from Albury has also meant less time with GWS, which has first access to recruiting the midfielder at this year's draft through its controversial academy zone.

Setterfield has been a part of the Giants' academy since he was 13, with most of his involvement coming in his formative years with local training sessions and some trial games. GWS academy head coach Jason Saddington also keeps in touch.

Setterfield can't ignore the conversation about the club's access to the Riverina region, but sees himself like any other AFL hopeful who has to wait until draft night to find out where football might take him.

"With what's going on at the moment I try not to think too much about it, it's out of my hands and I just try to play footy and let it resolve itself," he said. 

"I can't predict what's going to happen on draft day, let alone the trade period before that with the picks being traded around. Anything can happen, but I know every game from here is important."