FROM Maribyrnong to Royal Parade.

This time 12 months ago, Josh Honey and Sam Ramsay were preparing for their final years of high school together.

Hailing from Keilor and Gisborne respectively, the friends since Year 7 had every reason to think that ending Year 12 would have been a key chapter alongside one another.

Then, draft week happened.

On the Thursday, Ramsay’s agonising wait ended when he was selected with pick No.47 in the 2019 NAB AFL Draft.

The next morning, he was making the trek to his new club for the first time when he saw the results of the rookie draft.

His mate would be joining him in Navy Blue.

The 18-year-old said the chance to live out his football journey alongside his close mate was something he never could have imagined. After all, what are the chances?

“I’ve been with him since Year 7. To come to a new club with a close mate from school is awesome,” Ramsay said.

“He’s someone I already know and I’m familiar with, so it’s so much easier to start off with him.”

He may have had an inkling that there was some interest from those in Navy Blue, but it didn’t stop Honey’s draft moment from being oh so sweet.

The versatile youngster echoed the sentiments of his good mate once he had arrived at Ikon Park.

“Sam’s a good kid: I went to school for six years with him at ‘Marby’,” Honey said.

“I’m pretty rapt that I got drafted with him.”

Of course, the two weren’t alone — Carlton’s group of five draftees are ready for their first years as AFL footballers.

Unlike the schoolmates, they’re all still getting to know one another: Ramsay can’t wait to build a future in Navy Blue with the rest of his draft class.

“I had never met the other boys [before being drafted]: I had only heard of them,” he said.

“I never really had contact with them but I’m really excited to get to know them more, they’re all really good blokes.”