Highly-rated AFL draftees Christian Petracca and Angus Brayshaw will have a good idea of what’s coming if they end up together at Melbourne.

Petracca and Brayshaw are certainties to be among the top half dozen selections in Thursday night’s draft on the Gold Coast.

St Kilda have the top pick and then the Demons have No.2 and three.

There is growing speculation that the Saints will take key forward Paddy McCartin at No.1, ahead of Petracca.

It would then come of no surprise if the Demons used their top picks on Petracca and Brayshaw, who are midfielders.

Petracca knows Sam Blease, who has moved to Geelong after an unsuccessful stint at Melbourne.

And Brayshaw is friends with Tyler Roos, the son of the Melbourne coach.

“He’s someone who’d had a rough start to his AFL career,” Petracca said of Blease.

“It’s always good to get knowledge off someone who’s expected to be a good player and the hard work didn’t pay off for him.

“Now he’s gone to a different club, he’ll see the light in the tunnel.”

As of Wednesday, the two friends said they remained in the dark about where they would go in the draft.

“Me and Christian are great mates and what I love about him is he’s a real competitor,” Brayshaw said.

“(Playing for the same club) would only serve to drive me more and we’d work well off each other.”

The pair have left no stone unturned to make sure they are ready for the AFL.

Brayshaw has spoken to Geelong captain Joel Selwood, while Petracca has picked the brains of rising Port Adelaide star Ollie Wines and Hawthorn veteran Jordan Lewis.

“All the things I’ve needed to do are done,” Brayshaw said.

“And at the end of the day, whatever happens now, I can’t do too much to change it.

“I’m obviously nervous, it’s a big day.”

Brayshaw is using this week’s media attention to take aim at his father Mark, the chief executive of the AFL Coaches Association, and uncle James, the North Melbourne chairman and AFL commentator.

According to the son and nephew, any hardness in his game comes from his mother, Debra.

“Dad is as soft as butter – James is pretty similar,” he said.

“Mum is tough, that’s where I get it all from.”