Melbourne coach Dean Bailey has said he's approaching the club's prized recruits, Tom Scully and Jack Trengove, not as the No.1 and No.2 draft picks, but as equals, almost impossible to separate.
Judging by their first (joint) media conference as AFL players, the 18-year-olds consider themselves in much the same light.
As was widely expected, Scully was anointed as the nation's No.1 and Trengove No.2 when claimed by the Demons at Thursday night's 2009 AFL national draft.
The feeling from within the club and the wider football community had been that both were worthy and capable of handling everything that comes with being the nation's No.1.
"I don't think there's too much difference," said Trengove.
"We're going to the same club and we're going to have the same respect from the other players."
"We're going to have to earn that respect and really work hard from the start."
"The number doesn't really mean everything until you're out there playing footy and showing how good you are."
Trengove's expectations for 2010 are modest.
He said he wants to earn the respect of the coaching staff and his new team-mates and was prepared to set short-term goals only and re-evaluate as he goes along.
Asked whether his senior experience in the SANFL with Sturt gave him a head-start, Trengove said: "I suppose I've had the chance to play against bigger bodies and hopefully that will put me in better stead."
"But I'm pretty sure most of the new blokes ... will be starting from scratch."
The prospect of starting from scratch is fine by Scully and he's thrilled to be joining Melbourne at a critical stage in the club's history.
"It's got a rich history, the Melbourne Football Club, it's really old and has a really young list which is good for us because we can start like they're starting out as well and really just work our way up," he said.
Scully said he wasn't at all concerned about the prospect of attracting the same heavy treatment dished out to last year's No.1 Jack Watts when he debuted against Collingwood at the MCG on Queen's Birthday last season.
"All that pressure is all external and I think the club would be more than understanding with the position that Jack (Watts) and Jack (Trengove) and myself are in," said Scully.
"With all players coming to the club you start off the same and I think if you let that stuff get to you too much it affects your football but if you just stay strong and stick to the stuff you know, that stuff shouldn't really worry you too much."
Asked whether he believes the Demons, who've claimed the past two wooden spoons, will struggle again in 2010, Scully said: "Melbourne are in a rebuilding phase and they've got some fantastic young talent coming through ... so it's an exciting place to be."
"You would be crazy to think that they're going to jump up and be a top-four side but it's way too early to be making those sorts of judgements."