Petracca has been under a spotlight in the build-up to the annual blockbuster, one year on from his brutal collision with Collingwood captain Darcy Moore.
The Demons midfielder spent time in intensive care with a lacerated spleen, punctured lung and fractured ribs after the on-field accident, which ended his 2024 season early.
And in the tumultuous fallout, there was strong speculation Petracca might leave the club.
But the 29-year-old ultimately stayed put and has been a key figure in Melbourne winning five of their past seven matches, reigniting finals hopes after a horror 0-5 start to the season.
It has set up a huge showdown with ladder leaders Collingwood (10-2) at the MCG, with the old rivals hopeful of drawing a record crowd of more than 85,000.
Melbourne midfielder Trent Rivers is certain Petracca will relish the big stage, rather than being distracted by reprised memories of the painful saga.
"I reckon it's just another game to him," Rivers told AAP.
"He's very strong-minded and I don't think it's going to really get to him too much.
"He's just going to run out there as if it's any other game with a big crowd, and I'm sure he's going to have another great game."
Petracca's frustrations boiled over at times during Melbourne's poor start to 2025, but his strong form alongside evergreen ruck star Max Gawn has been crucial to their turnaround.
"He obviously produces on the footy field but he also really galvanises the group," Rivers said.
"He brings everyone together and that's something that he's been really passionate about; the love and care that we show each other.
"Early on he was getting upset that we were losing games of footy, but it's because he cared, and I think that really showed. I love playing with him."
Melbourne have won just one of their past seven encounters with Collingwood - a four-point victory during the Magpies' 2023 premiership season - and two of the past dozen.
Craig McRae's Pies are riding a four-match winning streak into Monday's contest.
"I feel like we do match up well against them," Rivers said.
"They've won the last few games and they're in hot form, so it's going to be a good match-up.
"We've got some great players ourselves and I'm just looking forward to getting out there."
Melbourne have been under a blowtorch over their woeful inaccuracy, after booting 7.21 (63) in a shock 28-point defeat to St Kilda last week.
The wayward kicking has been touched on internally, but Rivers said the Demons' main focus against Collingwood would be improving their defensive work rate.
"It's about our want to run and help out our defence," he said.
The annual King's Birthday clash serves as the Big Freeze fundraiser for the FightMND charity.
Former Melbourne coach Neale Daniher, diagnosed with MND more than a decade ago, visited both clubs in recent days.
"We're so grateful that he's still able to get on the front foot and get out in front of us all and present the fight that he's in," Rivers said.
"The amount of money they've been able to raise and the awareness around MND is just incredible.
"We hope the Melbourne faithful come out in numbers and rally behind us because we're definitely going to need them."
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