MELBOURNE has snared its first NAB AFL Rising Star nomination for season 2007 with midfielder Ricky Petterd earning the honour for round six.

The 18-year-old from Broadbeach made his senior debut in round five and has averaged 22 possessions across two games of football – 24 of which were collected in the Demons' loss to Port Adelaide at the MCG on Sunday.

Despite his impressive second game, Petterd said he wasn't expecting the nomination and has just been enjoying the chance to play senior footy.

"I was very surprised. I was talking to my manager and he said, 'You could be a chance', and I said, 'Nah'," he laughed.

"Then, a second later, [Melbourne media officer] Leigh Newton rang me up and told me [about the nomination]. But I'm feeling good. I'm a bit surprised, but I'm taking it as it comes.

"It's a great honour. It just seems like in the past couple of weeks, things have been falling into my hands and I keep getting positives."

Petterd is an AIS-AFL Academy graduate and won the Harrison Medal for being the best player in Division Two at the 2006 NAB AFL under-18 championships.

He was selected with the Demons' second pick in last year's NAB AFL Draft (No. 30 overall) and has since worn the number 15 of Melbourne great Stan Alves.

The native Queenslander, who is "getting used" to living in Melbourne, has slotted in nicely to the senior side and plays with the confidence of a player much further advanced in the AFL.

"The boys have helped me out a lot. The senior boys have helped me out with getting used to the speed," he said.

"It's been great.

"I'm just playing football and it seems to work for me. I don't know if I look too casual, but that's the way I've always played.

"I've always thought you just can't panic and I think it's really important in today's football. Turnovers are so costly, so I just try not to panic and at the moment, it's falling in place for me."

Petterd joins Paddy Ryder (Essendon), Cameron Wood (Brisbane Lions), Tom Hawkins (Geelong), Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood) and Joel Selwood (Geelong) as players to be nominated for the award so far this season.