Charlie Byrne will train with Geelong VFL over the pre-season, while Cam McLeod is expected to link with Essendon.

The pair nominated for last June's AFL mid-season rookie draft and last month's AFL Draft, but were overlooked.

Like so many aspects of life, the pair has been severely disadvantaged by COVID over the past two seasons.

"What the (AFL) clubs said to me about my football, they want me to be more consistent but, in saying that, that was the idea for this year, but with the lack of game time it was hard to gain any consistency," Byrne suggested.

The half-back-midfielder played two VFL games at Essendon and a handful of matches with junior club Albury and rep outfit the Murray Bushrangers.

McLeod had a VFL game with the Giants and a similar amount of matches to Byrne at the Tigers and Bushies.

"They (AFL clubs) want to see more of me doing the same sort of thing and continue to show my strengths," McLeod offered.

The 19-year-olds' Albury co-coach Anthony Miles, who played 88 games at the elite level, believes the pair has some of the weapons needed at the highest standard.

"Cam McLeod's pretty raw, he's starting to grow into his body (193cms, 85kgs), he's that high half-forward, he's a really good athlete, reads the ball well, gets up the ground and then beats his opponents back," he explained.

"The way the AFL game's going, particularly with those good high half-forwards, I think he's got plenty of AFL attributes.

"Charlie's kicking, his foot skills set him apart, beautiful left-foot kick, I think if he gets in an elite program, I think he would go to another level."

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The players will naturally have to speak with their new clubs before nominating a second club, such as Albury, where they could play, if not involved in VFL matches.

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