THEY'RE not related yet NAB AFL Draft hopefuls Mitch, Scott and Troy Taylor share a common bond.

The trio represented Northern Territory in this year's NAB AFL Under-18 Championships: Scott was co-captain, Troy the eye-catching forward and Mitch the rock in defence.

Troy and Mitch are indigenous and Scott is Caucasian, while each has his own story.

First of all, can you tell us a little bit about yourselves and where you hail from in the Northern Territory?
Scott: I was born and bred in Alice Springs. I've lived there for 18 years and relocated to Darwin this year. I did all of my high school at Alice Springs. I work for AFLNT. I'm a really sporty person and I've represented Alice Springs in soccer and cricket.

Troy: I've lived in Darwin all of my life. I was born in Western Australia, but moved to Darwin when I was three or four months old. I moved to Alice Springs at the start of this year. I play for South Kangaroos in Alice and for Wanderers in Darwin.

Mitch: I grew up in Darwin. I was born and bred up there. I did all of my primary schooling in Darwin and went to a boarding school, Shalom Christian College in Townsville, Queensland. I played a little bit of rugby, but I like footy the most. I didn't really play footy as my first sport. I played soccer when I was younger.

Have you developed a bond because of your surname?
Mitch: Yeah, I knew Scott, the same as Troy, from junior footy. I also played junior basketball with Troy.

Troy: A lot of people ask if I'm related to Mitch, but not as many ask if I'm related to Scott (laughs). I've played a lot of basketball with Mitch, so yeah [we do have a bond].

Scott: One memory is when we played under-13s in 2004 and when we were getting our guernseys, the lady handing them out thought we were all brothers. It is a pretty good bond and the fact Troy plays full-forward, I'm in the middle and Mitch is full-back - there is a Taylor in each section of the ground.

You all have aspirations to play at the highest level. How did you find having recruiters watching you?
Scott: It's always a bit daunting and nervous, because you always have the recruiters and scouts in the back of your mind. At the end of the day, you have to go out there and play your own game. As a leader, that's what you have to tell the others - focus on your own game. Don't worry about the outside.

Troy: When I heard about recruiters talking about me, from (coach) Brett (Hand), I really wanted to pull my finger out a bit more. I feel a bit more nervous, because there is a bit of pressure on me.

Who do you barrack for and who are your heroes in the AFL?
Scott: I go for Port Adelaide, but my favourite player at the moment is Gary Ablett and I like Kane Cornes.

Troy: My team is St Kilda and one of my favourite players is Nick Dal Santo.

Mitch: I go for the Eagles and I like big Lynchy, Quinten Lynch. My favourite player is Ablett, he is a superstar.

If you guys are drafted, you are going to have to relocate from the Northern Territory. How does that sit with you?
Mitch: It would be a dream come true and hopefully I'd still see them (Troy and Scott) or play against them or with them. It'd be really hard for me to move, leaving all of my family behind and moving to another environment - a bigger environment. I'd be a bit scared, too.

Troy: I'd be a bit homesick and get frustrated. It'd be a bit scary too going somewhere and not knowing anyone there, but you've got to get over it.

Scott: I've already relocated to Darwin, so I've done a bit of a step, but moving interstate and into a footy environment would be a totally different experience. I think I'd cope alright.

During the championships, who were some of the players that stood out to you?
Scott: A bloke I played against for NSW/ACT, Dylan McNeil. I was standing next to him in the centre and just his physical presence was [impressive].

Troy: I reckon Blayne Wilson was pretty good. He played on me.

Mitch: Jack Darling - a big bloke from WA. I copped a few whacks off him (laughs).

How has your Northern Territory coach Brett Hand helped with your football?
Scott: Brett has been a big help in bonding our team. The team structure has been easy to adapt to and he's been really positive and good for the side.

Mitch: He's been a pretty good coach, really good. He's the best one I've come across. He's easy to approach and if you've got a problem, he'll try to help you out.

Troy: Brett is a good bloke and he's helped me out a lot. He's one of the best coaches I've had so far.

And finally, what did you take out of the championships and what are you hoping for from here?
Scott: Playing at a higher level makes you learn different things. Playing against bigger bodies and taking the experiences out of the championships - we had a lot of good times.

Troy: They were one some of the hardest games I've played for the Thunder, but I hope to go far with my footy and I'm just going to keep at it until I get somewhere.

Mitch: It's been great to mix and meet a lot of new blokes from the Territory and you get to play on other players from Western Australia and you could be playing on the next Chris Judd or (Bryce) Gibbs.

What Northern Territory under-18 coach Brett Hand said about the Taylors:
Scott: He's just a thorough workhorse. He's a really professional bloke at this stage. He's been involved in the NTIS (Northern Territory Institute of Sport) for a couple of years now, so he's improved on his deficiencies now. His hard-ball gets are fantastic and I think he has been a shining light as a leader, especially against the division one teams - he's matched it with them. The boys look up to him. Put him in a full-time environment and you couldn't go wrong with him.

Troy: Troy came into our program a couple of months ago. He was new and green and he's just got the cat-like features. He floats across the ground and does the unexpected. He's extremely skilful and is laconic, but he reads the play really well. He has the ability to do the special thing. He's the x-factor. He needs to work on his work rate and his fitness.

Mitch: Mitch is a breath of fresh air. He's a real character - on and off the field. He refuses to be beaten and his second and third efforts are just great. He reads the play well and is a lovely long kick. He's a very hard worker on the track. He has a presence and loves to run with the footy. He needs to work on his marking a bit, but he is very versatile. I think he is a readymade rookie right now and I think he could make it, given the opportunity. He's been through some tough family situations as well recently.