Nick Blakey has learnt plenty off the experienced Daniel Menzel in his early days as an AFL footballer – and the apprentice is now set to join his master in Sydney Swans colours for the first time.

Blakey and Menzel will line up together in the Swans’ forward 50 as Sydney collides with the Geelong Cats at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Menzel’s inclusion has made for a fascinating storyline as the ex-Cat is set to make his Swans debut against his former club.

Blakey says Menzel has had an enormous impact on his game since the enigmatic forward swapped Geelong colours for red and white during last October’s trade period.

“We all go upstairs where we’ve got a whole lot of computers, we go through our own games and Dan and I are usually up there at the same time,” Blakey said.

“Obviously I go through my game with (forwards coach) ‘Stevie J’ and then it’s good to go through it with Dan as well. He sees the game really well, he goes through my game with me and then we also look at other good forwards in the AFL like Jordan De Goey. We look at their leading patterns and see what we can add to both of our games.

“Dan has taught me heaps – and not just Dan but a whole heap of the other older boys. Whatever you want to know they’ll help you with. Dan has taught me heaps on leading patterns, protecting the drop zone and just all the things he’s really good at.”

Blakey was drafted to Sydney last November alongside James Rowbottom, Justin McInerney, Zac Foot, Durak Tucker, Harry Reynolds and Sam Wicks.

Hayden McLean was added to the Swans’ rookie list in March, and the club then used the Mid-Season Rookie Draft to sign Michael Knoll and Cody Hirst on Monday night. 

Blakey has played nine of a possible 10 games in his debut season and says he’s loving the life of an AFL footballer.

“It’s been my dream ever since I was a young kid and I didn’t come in expecting to play as much senior football as I have,” Blakey said.

“It’s an old cliché but I’m just taking it one week at a time and you can’t look too far ahead because you don’t know what’s going to happen. I’ve been really enjoying it so far and the club has been really good to me.”