For Gerald Ugle, Blayne Wilson and Harley Bennell, the past week has been one of the most exciting and beneficial of their promising young football careers.

The West Australian trio, all members of the AIS-AFL Academy squad, have been learning about life as professional sportsmen during their stay at the Fremantle Football Club.

Each year the AIS-AFL Academy offers thirty 12-month scholarships to young athletes who are entering the last year of their junior football development.

Fremantle Western Recruiting manager Neil Ross said the physical load on the boys at training has been limited, with education the main area of focus.

“The whole purpose of this week is to give these boys an education of what it’s like to be an AFL footballer,” Ross said.

“They have been doing the warm up and the first couple of drills with the main group, but then they drop out and do stationary rehabilitation type skills.

“The educational benefit they get is enormous.

“They get to spend a lot of time with the players, who have been fantastic, showing the boys the right way to do things. They learn a lot about professionalism. It's a real eye opener for them.”

Ross said all three boys were very talented footballers who would be watched very closely by AFL clubs in the coming months.

Perth’s Gerard Ugle possesses a lovely left foot kick, although he is not eligible for the next AFL Draft because he is too young.

But Ross said the state under-16s representative should be well on new AFL franchise West Sydney’s radar.

Ugle said he had learnt a lot during his time at Fremantle.

“The professionalism of the club and the work-rate and leadership of each player is amazing,” he said.

Peel’s Blayne Wilson was an All-Australian for WA as a bottom ager in last year’s National Carnival playing as a half-back-flanker.

The strongly built youngster broke into the Thunder’s league team towards the end of last season.

He said being at Fremantle had helped him learn about the attitude required to make it in the AFL.

“It's been a good experience but I’m sure there is so much more to learn,” he said.

Another Peel product, Harley Bennell, was a runner up in the colt’s best-and-fairest medal and also made his league debut for the Thunder in 2009.

Bennell said former Sydney Swans star and current assistant coach at the AIS-AFL, Michael O’Loughlin, had been a great mentor for himself and Ugle at the Academy.

“He has helped us a lot and made sure we stay on track,” Bennell said.

The trio will see out the week at Fremantle and then return to the AIS-AFL Academy with the invaluable experience in the West behind them.