In January 2015, less than two months after Melbourne drafted Christian Petracca, they headed to Maroochydore for pre-season camp.

The No.2 draft pick was assigned to an apartment with then-skipper Nathan Jones, Bernie Vince and Jack Trengove, who were charged with taking Petracca, a confident, relentlessly enthusiastic youngster, under their wing.

While showing Petracca the ropes, the three senior players couldn't resist having some fun with the young gun along the way, pulling harmless pranks - like moving his bed from one room to another - to wind him up.

"We played a few little tricks with him, which was a bit of fun and tongue in cheek at the time. It's just one of those moments where we thought as older guys we'd teach him a few lessons and he was great," Trengove told AAP.

"He's a brilliant kid, Trac - well he's not a kid anymore - but just the way he's evolved himself.

"He was so raw in terms of understanding what the requirements of an AFL player are ... he's the type of person that would just go along with whatever was said to him, and he's a bit of a larrikin.

"But when he puts his energy in the right places you can just see how good he can be."

Melbourne supporters, and Petracca's teammates for that matter, had to wait to see the best of the youngster.

Less than a month after that Maroochydore camp, Petracca ruptured his ACL at training and faced a year on the sidelines, missing his entire debut season.

All of a sudden, he was again back with Trengove, who was in the midst of his own arduous rehabilitation from a debilitating foot injury.

The pair, by chance, became inseparable - smashing through Wattbike workouts, attending community workshops together and working on the road to recovery - with the ultra-professional Trengove urging his younger teammate on.

"I remember a lot of those times when I was in the gym and on Wattbikes and doing rehab with him, he just didn't really know how to push himself," he said.

"He's got all the ability and is one of the most powerful athletes I've ever seen."

Petracca has played 126 games since his 2016 debut - and has elevated his game under Simon Goodwin - becoming one of the league's most explosive midfielders.

Now Saturday's grand final against the Western Bulldogs awaits, with Trengove among those who'll be watching Petracca from the Optus Stadium stands.

"He's realised how good he can be and now he does it on a weekly basis and it's just incredible to watch," Trengove said.

"But I think some of those key lessons maybe from Maroochydore with Jonesy, Bernie and I may have put him in good shape."