ONE MIGHT seem quiet and reserved, lumbering with the slow speed of a classic AFL ruckman and traversing the journeyman path at his third club. But he's actually a heavy metal fan at heart, who spends every minute outside of footy restoring caravans and playing with his two kids.

The other might seem like your classic next-gen footballer, with his flamboyant flowing mullet and his raucous goal celebrations. But he is also a caring, softly spoken teammate who has recently spent his weeknights encouraging his new English Bulldog 'Romeo' through puppy school.

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This is Andrew Phillips and Sam Draper. Together, they're Essendon's odd couple in the ruck and have provided Brad Scott's Bombers with two of the most unlikely, yet effective talismanic presences. They have helped spearhead the side's remarkable 4-1 start and hope the wins – and the memes – continue long into the year.

But the ruck role is a strange one. Every teammate is also theoretically a rival, with such limited spots available both in teams and on lists for a ruckman. At certain clubs it can, at times, create tension. But luckily for the Bombers, these two break the mould in more ways than one.

"It's funny. When 'Flip' first came over, we both said we tried to hate each other but we just couldn't. We've ended up loving each other and we work really well together," a smiling Draper tells AFL.com.au from the club's Tullamarine headquarters.

The pair come from vastly different backgrounds, but share the fact that their journey to this point has been unique. Phillips is 66 games through a career that has spanned 13 seasons at three clubs. His has been a rollercoaster ride, living off one-year deals and often without clarity on his future. Draper, meanwhile, has had a rapid ascension. He was famously offered a multi-million contract by St Kilda before he'd ever played an AFL match, quickly becoming one of the League's most marketable players.

For Draper, though, it wasn't without its setbacks. A former junior soccer player who spent parts of his childhood living in the British village of Brede, he crossed to football as a teenager and earned his place in the AFL through Essendon's rookie list. An ACL injury in 2019 hampered his progress, only for the 205cm ruckman to explode when he was eventually given his chance.

"That was a pretty crazy time. I was out with an ACL and St Kilda was after me. I was always keen to stay at Essendon and repay the faith to these guys, though. I love the people here and I love the club, but it was an interesting one," Draper says.

"I spent four years in the VFL before I debuted, so it felt like a long time coming. But ever since 2020 I feel like I've been progressing nicely. I feel like I'm starting to see my real potential come through."

Phillips, a proud Tasmanian, also graduated from the rookie list. A foundation Greater Western Sydney player, he featured only 14 times over five years with the Giants before moving to Carlton. He played just 27 games in four seasons at Ikon Park, opting once again to pack his bags and head elsewhere to try and battle for a place as a club's No.1 ruck. The result was a switch to Essendon and, initially, more frustration. But a change in mentality has culminated in the 201cm big man finding fun in his footy.

"I've never really had that certainty. It hasn't come until late in the year. There was one period where I was out of contract and I returned to pre-season training without a contract for a while. That was a bit weird. You never really know when your next deal is going to come or how your year is going to go," Phillips says.

"I made a bit of a change in my mindset as to where I'm at in my career from when I first got here. I was really trying to hammer down that No.1 ruck role and I thought it was my time to shine. It didn't really play out that way and didn't really happen. I had to make a bit of an adjustment mentally. Now, I'm a lot more comfortable with where I'm at and how I'm playing off the back of that.

"Seeing 'Drapes' and Nick Bryan out on the track and being able to support them – and being a lot more OK with seeing them flourish and me having to take a back seat – it's been crucial in me enjoying my football, but also being able to play and play well."

Phillips, who will turn 32 later this year, is now the oldest player on Essendon's regenerating list. He has a newfound sense of comfort in his constant stream of one-year extensions, understanding he will never have the long-term security of guys like Draper. But the fire to play on still burns.

"He's holding on until Tassie gets a team," Draper laughs.

"Yep. I'll hang on until 2027," Phillips replies.

The motivation comes with good reason. Together, Draper and Phillips have proved an influential force all season as Essendon has leapt into a surprise 4-1 start heading into Tuesday's Anzac Day blockbuster against fierce foe Collingwood. Phillips has taken seven contested marks in the last fortnight alone and kicked two goals in last Saturday's upset win over Melbourne, while Draper has kicked six goals for the season including three in a barnstorming first half against the Demons.

"Knowing we're coming up against a good opponent like Brodie Grundy last week, it was a big one. Last year we had a big focus on playing against the people that guys talk about all the time and rate really highly. That made us even more hungry to dominate those guys. It's just another challenge for us moving forward," Draper says.

They celebrated that win at the Adelaide Oval with a few laughs over the new 'Drillips' meme doing the rounds on social media afterwards, crediting the arrival of new coach Scott over the summer – and his fresh outlook on the ruck position – for their success.

"The first couple of years here, it was a tough pill to swallow. It was hard watching games where you were missing out and we were only rolling with one ruck. But the shift in mindset over the last couple of years, to be all right with that now, it makes things so much more enjoyable to watch and play in," Phillips says.

"It has never really been a given, playing both of us, and we've been challenged with a few new roles. The tag of 'see ball, hit ball' and getting down the line and doing all of the traditional ruck things has been shaken a little bit. We've been given a few responsibilities around team defence, just to shake that ruck tag. Being given that responsibility, it's been pretty important and it's something we want to take on and keep going."

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Draper, too, has been re-energised by Phillips becoming a mainstay in the team. Forced forward more to accommodate for a long-term shoulder injury suffered by reigning best and fairest Peter Wright on the eve of the campaign, he has already seen an uptick in his goals return while still rating well in several key ruck metrics.

"This year, it probably seems I'm playing better. It complements my game better, for me to be able to play with a bit more freedom where I can work forward and work back a bit harder knowing I've got a bit of cover with 'Flip'," Draper says.

"I feel like I can play as a good forward and 'Flip' is a bit older, but he's still learning his forward craft and getting really good at it too. For us to hit the scoreboard, it helps the team massively. We're getting a nice little combination going. Internally, 'Flip' is rated so highly within the group with what he does and how hard he works for us and it definitely complements my game really well. I'm happy to have 'Flip' in there."

Both are playing what they would classify as career-best footy, and both believe they have the other to thank for their individual and team success. Footy's most unlikely ruck combination have, in many ways, inspired footy's most unlikely improvers to start the 2023 campaign.

"It's a bit corny, but I'd say thank you," Phillips says.

"What he does for me … we watched it in our edits this morning, but we complement each other so well. We were just talking about how well it works. I can't back it up every week and do what I do every week without 'Drapes'. Every part of my success at the moment is thanks to 'Drapes'."

For Draper, the words have been taken out of his mouth. "Same goes," he laughs.