Connor Rozee says his three-month-old daughter and a couple of older AFL heads have been pivotal in his seamless transition to Port Adelaide's captaincy.
Rozee, entering his first finals campaign as Port skipper, became a first-time father in May when fiancee Maisie gave birth to their daughter Audrey.
"It just gives you that balance," Rozee said ahead of Port's home qualifying final against Geelong on Thursday night.
"It does feel like the (AFL) pressure - and even though it's inside our heads, pressure is something we make up a little bit - but it does feel like life-and-death sometimes with comments from external people.
"The end of the year especially, when things can go either way and you know your season could be over week-to-week, being able to go home and completely switch off and not think about football for a while has been amazing.
"It just makes you grateful for everything, really.
"And it's made coming in here (to Port's Alberton headquarters) even more enjoyable.
"And being able to bond a little bit closer with the guys that have kids as well has been great."
The 24-year-old took over the captaincy when Tom Jonas retired at the end of last season, heading a revamped leadership group featuring new vice-captain Zak Butters, Dan Houston, Sam Powell-Pepper and Willem Drew.
Rozee is also grateful for the wisdom and support, both on and off the field, of a couple of former Port skippers, Travis Boak and Ollie Wines.
Boak led the Power from 2013-18, and Brownlow Medallist Wines was co-captain in 2019 with Jonas.
"They've been amazing, it's great to have two previous captains still here," Rozee said.
"It's a massive benefit for myself personally (and) our leadership group as a whole, because it is our first time for all of us being in a leadership position.
"It's small things really, certain conversations, how you're not sure to approach a certain person, or how the group in general is feeling.
"I feel really comfortable to be able to go to either of them (Boak and Wines) and ask them pretty much anything about leadership or away from football.
"I have got a great relationship with both of those guys and hopefully we can bring some success to those guys because they definitely deserve it."
Rozee plans to deliver a simple message for his teammates for his first final as captain when Port host the Cats at Adelaide Oval.
"(I'll) just be preaching that this is another game," he said.
"We know what has got us to this point: we have beaten a lot of good sides this year, we have stood up in some big moments.
"And it certainly goes to another level in finals, definitely.
"But my personal approach to the situation will be to try and calm everyone down a bit.
"To achieve our ultimate goal, we're going to have to beat some really good sides.
"There will some pump-up from everyone, externally and internally, but at the end of the day it is another game of football."
