Even for the son of former Essendon great Michael Long, Melbourne can be a lonely place when you are settling in. But it wasn't long until the indigenous teenager with a flair for the game that made his father such a recognisable figure began to make friends, and so weekends at Cyril's house became few and far between. But it was always fun. "I remember being there when I was 16 or 17, wanting to go out so bad but obviously couldn't," Long said. "You would be sitting on the couch and you would get bothered. It was great."

That was then. Now Long is 18 and has just started pre-season training at the AFL club with which his father's name is synonymous. Just as important as what they can do on the field is how well players with Long's background can handle a new lifestyle off it. On that measure, Long says he has a good example to follow in Rioli. "The biggest thing I learnt from him was just how to sacrifice things – the things he doesn't do even though he wants to," Long said. "Just watching him every morning, every training, he does it himself. He doesn't need anyone else to push him.

"It's happening for me at the moment. You sacrifice schoolies, going home – I wanted to go to Byron Bay with all my friends – but I learnt from Cyril that you have to sacrifice those things to be here and be doing this. "And I'm sure there will be a lot of other things from now, so it's a good lesson." His father found the same thing when he first moved to Melbourne to begin his AFL career. As much as Michael Long has tried to avoid putting doubt in his son's mind, Long admitted he "knew the stories" relating to his father's early struggles. In his first season alone Michael Long went back to the Northern Territory five times to relieve his homesickness. "Being a territory kid coming straight here, it would have been very different for him, not too mention very cold," said Long, pondering what his father must have been up against in the late-1980s, when indigenous players made up a far smaller percentage of the AFL's playing population.

"But I've had that exposure to it, being down here for school, so that's helped me. "But it's still a massive step. Just getting used to living by yourself, doing all the little things, and just being professional. "Instead of being a school kid, you're a man. You're being elite." The system, too, is now far different for young players such as Long coming into the game. For instance, Essendon is one of several clubs to employ a full-time Aboriginal programs and welfare co-ordinator, with clubs and the league having identified the retention of indigenous players in the game as an area of concern.

The Long family has already seen one of its clan, Michael Long's nephew Anthony, pass through the AFL long enough to take just a peak, although injury was the decisive factor in his case. Just before this year's draft, Long said he spoke to Anthony Long (who did not play a senior game after being drafted with pick No.33 in the 2009 draft and battled a raft of injuries) about what lay ahead. His advice would have been particularly pointed, given how much the pair have in common. Unfortunately for Long, at least so far, injury is one thing on that list. A nasty collarbone injury and a serious ankle injury wiped out much of two crucial development years for Long, leaving AFL recruiters without a full scope of his talent. Although there was, for instance, enough in a one-off VFL appearance for Essendon last year – where Long kicked a goal and laid five tackles – to suggest he had the ability.

Bombers recruiter Adrian Dodoro said of Long: "He showed he had a lot of attributes like his father, his run, his speed, the agility, the game awareness." Long figures the injuries might have been a blessing. While good judges of the draft believe the pacy youngster fit in about where he should have – taken as a pre-listed rookie under the father-son rule – Long said he couldn't help but feel it was meant to be. "I think it was a miracle. I always wanted to come here," he said. "If I didn't, who knows? I might have still got through the draft to the Bombers, but on the other hand, I might not have." Long is not being unambitious when he says he is fairly sure already that he won't be as good as his old man. After all, Michael Long is recognised as one of the greatest indigenous players, having appeared in 190 games for Essendon, winning a Norm Smith Medal and two premierships.

Long still considers his father to be his favourite footballer. "I did sneak off when I was younger and watch highlights and old tapes of him," he said. The words flow naturally out of his mouth, although Long takes a moment to ponder what he just said and then exclaims: "He will love hearing me say that," with a smile and shake of the head. As you would expect, Long is also proud of his father's standing as a crusader against racism, and his biggest achievement, The Long Walk. "Mum made me go to school," Long said, "but I joined in on the weekend. I would come from there and would walk three-quarters of the way.

"Our family are very strong on culture. "I think Dad taking on a role as a leader in the indigenous community, and being the high-profile person that he is, I think he does it well and he's taught me that you stand up for your people and stand up for yourself." Long has big footsteps to follow on the path to an AFL career. Essendon hope he is in for the long walk.