DRAFTEE Tom Sparrow says he has been picking his teammates brains over the pre-season, learning what it takes to succeed from some senior figures around the club.

The 18-year-old was secured by Melbourne with pick No.27 in the 2018 National Draft and has enjoyed the challenging workload that comes with being an AFL player.

“It’s pretty full on, I learned that pretty quickly,” Sparrow told Melbourne Media.

“There aren’t too many breaks between drills at training – it’s bang, bang, bang.

“It’s all pretty quick out there but I’ve had a lot of help from the players, the senior boys as well, which has been really helpful.”

While the program takes some getting used to for the new recruits, Sparrow is embracing every session.

“It’s probably been as hard as I expected, if not harder, but I’m really enjoying it,” he said.

The midfielder has been well supported by his teammates since joining the club, shadowing some of the most experienced Demons to help develop his game.

“I’ve been doing a bit of kicking practice with Jordy Lewis, just trying to get that right, so that’s been pretty helpful,” he said.

“And then Vines (Jack Viney) and Jonesy (Nathan Jones) in the gym have been helping me out with my hands and craft, and Vanders (Aaron vandenBerg) has been good around stoppages.

“They’ve all been talking to me, so the senior boys have been helping me a lot.”

With a wealth of knowledge spread across the board, Sparrow knows the best way to grow is to replicate his teammates actions.

“I’ve been trying to get around them to see how they run things,” he said.

“It’s always good to get down to the gym with Viney to see how he’s going and see what he’s doing in his spare time.”

Sparrow’s program has been heavier than ever before, with some positive results beginning to show.

“I’m definitely starting to lift some heavier weights which is really good,” he said.

“I’m pretty sore but that’s why you’ve got the massages and the ice baths.

“It doesn’t help when you’ve got some of the bigger players bashing you around in the midfield, but that’s always good fun as well.”

After dominating at a junior level, Sparrow is taking some time to adjust to senior football but understands the process he must take.

“I was probably one of the bigger ones at 18s level in terms of body size, but now I’m starting from the bottom again,” he said.

“I’ve come up against James Harmes and Corey Maynard who are pretty solid blokes.

“The body shape is definitely something that’s a bit different, but I’m just trying to embrace it and show my strengths.”

While all young footballers dream of debuting on the MCG, Sparrow is keeping a level head as the 2019 season approaches.

“I probably aim to play a game but I’m just taking things as they come at the moment,” he said.

“I’m trying to learn as much as I can and use the resources the club has.

“I’m trying not to get too ahead of myself, just stay modest and earn the respect of the players and work my way up.”