Experienced Melbourne ruckman Mark Jamar is targeting a role in the club's leadership group as the Demons step up their pre-season training under new coach Mark Neeld.
Neeld has previously said captain Brad Green has no guarantees of keeping his position and will wait until early next year before deciding on the skipper and the leadership group.
Jamar, who at 28 is the third oldest player on the list, was reluctant to put his hand up for captain but hopes to be one of the leaders at the club.
"I'm aiming to become part of the leadership group, so I'm focusing on just my actions and the way I present myself around the club and the way I train and the way I instruct others and things like that," he said.
"That's been my focus, I've been here for 10 years now and this is my 11th pre-season, so that comes with more responsibility."
"I'd like to establish myself as a leader before I looked at doing something like that (captaining), but who knows what can happen one day?"
Jamar revealed a one-on-one chat with Neeld was the catalyst for his new-found desire to become a leader and he has been very impressed with the rookie coach's hard-nosed approach to the job.
"It's been really good, straight to the point, you know exactly where you stand and we've all been challenged," he said.
"That's all part of footy. It's good for every single person to be challenged because you don't get comfortable."
"You're always looking to improve, always looking for that next thing to overcome, so I think it's pretty important."
Jamar is also expecting a change of role on-field following the arrival of boom recruit Mitch Clark from Brisbane.
Clark, who was recruited as a forward, is more than accomplished as a ruckman and could form a potent combination with 2010 All Australian Jamar.
"It might mean I can rotate forward a little bit more often with Mitch, or whether I continue to play the same amount of game time in the ruck," Jamar said.
"He is a great addition to our team and it is going to be really good for us."
Jamar highlighted Matthew Bate and Daniel Nicholson as the most impressive performers on the track, while Green appears the fittest having been a part of the International Rules series.
"Matthew Bate's come back really fit, he looks great and he's running really well, training really well. He's been training with the midfield group and he's been very impressive," Jamar said.
"Young Daniel Nicholson as well, he's always been a good runner, but he just seems to keep stepping up."