All bets are off when brothers compete.

And a bit of - friendly - sibling rivalry is something AFL-playing brothers Mitch and Jeremy McGovern know all too well.

Mitch, 20, joined his older brother in the AFL system when he was recruited by Adelaide with pick No.43 in last year’s National Draft. Jeremy, 23, is in his fifth season at West Coast.

Growing up in North Albany, Western Australia, the brothers competed at almost everything. Mitch said he was looking forward to doing battle with Jeremy in an AFL match someday soon.

"I’ve dreamt about it for a long time,” Mitch said on episode 17 of The Crows Show. Watch the full segment above

"We haven’t played against each other or with each other (in footy), so I think at the highest level it’s a bit of a dream come true.

"Jeremy and I have been very competitive over my lifetime. That comes down to everything doing the dishes, whoever 'shotguns', things like that. We’re ultra-competitive."

Jeremy agreed, rating the brothers' competitiveness on a scale of one to 10 at ‘15’.

"I always won,” he joked.

“There was a little bit of (footy) rivalry. I always tried to help Mitch out a bit, (was) always beating him up in the backyard. I tried to put a positive spin on it, telling him that he’ll look back on it (fondly) in a few years playing against some bigger bodies.

“Every week we'd pull the pillows out, throw the pillows on the back, lob the footy up and take a few hangers on each other.”

Mitch added he was more often than not on the receiving end of the “speccy” sessions.

"I was always the jumping bag, and he was always the one jumping up taking the hang,” he said.

“He always had the priority being the older out of the two of us, and the bigger one.

“So whatever he said pretty much went and I just went along with it."

Mitch and Jeremy aren’t the first members of their family to make it to AFL level.

Father, Andrew, played 83 games for Fremantle and Sydney between 1992 and 1998.

“Growing up and being a big fan of the AFL, with dad also playing, having a brother in the system has always been exciting,” he said.

“And now, having moved over here, it’s pretty good.”

Mitch has been living with a host family since relocating to Adelaide last December.

Jeremy said the pair’s parents were keeping busy barracking for two AFL teams.

“Mum’s been over (to Adelaide) every second week, she’s made it an excuse to go over there for a holiday pretty much,” he said.

"I think she’s got an Adelaide/West Coast jumper made up, that’s how much she’s supporting it.”

Jeremy is enjoying a brilliant 2015 season.

After impressing as a forward last year, the strong-marking utility has established himself as a reliable and damaging defender in the absence of injured duo Eric Mackenzie and Mitch Brown. Jeremy is even being talked about as a possible All-Australian contender.

Mitch has proudly watched Jeremy's performance from afar, saying that he hoped to model parts of his own game on his brother.

“(Jeremy) is having a break out year this year, it’s very good for him,” said Mitch.

"I can learn a lot from the way he’s playing. He’s just that key position player that can go both ends, is mobile and reads the play.

“I can see myself doing that, I can see myself playing wherever…the team needs me, so if that’s forward or back I’m more than happy to."

Mitch has endured a frustrating run with injuries since becoming a Crow.

A nagging Achilles complaint and, more recently, a knee injury have limited him to six matches in the SANFL. However, the 191cm, 84kg, forward has showed promise in each outing, impressing with his athleticism and strong-marking ability.

Mitch said Jeremy, who has also had his share of ups and downs, was a helpful leaning post.

“He’s helped me out a lot, he’s really gotten behind me this year,” said Mitch.

"I’m obviously struggling with injuries and stuff so he’s always giving me a text, and saying ‘g’day’ and asking how my body’s going.

“Being interstate (from Jeremy) is pretty difficult, we do chat every now and again (but) we’ve got very busy schedules, so it is tough.

“I’ve had a few injuries with the Achilles ... it’s been a bit frustrating, of course, I’m obviously wanting to play as many games as possible.

“I’m just trying to stay as positive as possible and get myself right, and get back out there and put my name up for AFL selection."

Jeremy said he was always happy to be a sounding board to his younger brother.

“I was pretty similar in my first year, I was injured (and) I only strung together probably two games in my first couple of years, so he knows I’m here if he needs to bounce anything off me,” he said.

"I don’t want to harass him too much and put too much pressure on him."

Mitch made his return from a knee injury in Adelaide’s SANFL win over West Adelaide on Sunday.