FRESH from signing a two-year contract extension, Christian Petracca says he plays his best football when walking a fine line between confidence and arrogance.
The 22-year-old is widely considered one of the best young players in the game with his ability to be a threat up forward and in the midfield.
His new deal comes on the back of a breakout year in 2017 in which he played every game for the Demons and averaged 18 disposals and kicked 26 goals.
But what else makes him a dangerous opponent is his belief that he is a matchwinner, and Petracca says you need that to be one of the AFL's elite.
"I want to be that person who has a (massive) impact every week," Petracca told SEN on Wednesday.
"I don't think it's arrogance, I think it's a fine line between confidence and arrogance.
"Sometimes I flirt with that, but sometimes you've got to have that to be the best.
"You play footy because you've grown watching the best play, and I used to go for Collingwood and used to watch Scott Pendlebury with the confidence he had.
"Who doesn't want to be that guy with the ball in their hand (in the big moments)?"
Petracca said one of the reasons he recommitted to the Demons was the hard-nosed culture the playing group is growing at the club.
He admits leadership was found wanting at Melbourne last season, but improving it has been a focus ahead of a season in which the expectation is that the team plays finals.
"The best thing about this group is that we're best mates and we go even harder (on each other), and we're so competitive in that we want to beat each other," Petracca told RSN on Wednesday.
"We probably weren't as demanding of each other last year because we are such a young group.
"Our leadership isn't as great on the field besides our two captains (Nathan Jones and Jack Viney).
"That's an area we need to step up, and all us new guys need to work on our leadership and be more demanding.
"You see Luke Hodge at Hawthorn and he was so demanding on his teammates, and that's a culture we need to create here. "
Former Hawk Jordan Lewis was brought to the club at the end of 2016 to help cultivate the Hawthorn mindset, and Petracca believes his presence is having a big impact.
"He's been unbelievable for us, especially for guys like myself who are new to the club and don't know much about leadership," he said.
"We need to be demanding of each other, and he's made that clear cut.
"Every day he comes in with the mindset of real purpose and clarity."
