Josh Battle has turned heads for all the right reasons since his long-awaited return to senior football.

With two and three-goal hauls in his second and third games of AFL footy respectively, the ex-Haileybury Collegian is relishing his role as a full-time footballer.

But full-time footy has also presented its challenges for the young man.

Battle was the first schoolboy to debut for the Saints since Brendon Goddard back in 2003, but the 19-year-old is now desperate to shake the novelty of the “schoolboy” tag and establish himself as a senior footballer.

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His father, Tony, has played an enormous role in Battle’s development as both a player and a person.

“I’m pretty close to my old man,” Battle told saints.com.au.

“Dad’s taught me a fair bit throughout my whole journey to get where I am today. He’s been pretty special in everything, and he’s taught me a lot about life.”

An elite junior cricketer, Battle attended the prestigious Haileybury College on a cricket scholarship before coming to a familiar crossroads for junior athletes: cricket or football.

“In Year 10, when footy was starting to ramp up with bottom-age Stingrays and trying to play cricket, I knew I couldn’t do both, because it was just too hard on the body,” said Battle.

“I was missing trainings for either one of the two, so it wasn’t fair on other guys that were missing out.

"I sat down with Dad and he said, ‘Do whatever you find most enjoyable and what you see yourself doing in the future’, and that was footy."

Since making it to the big-time, the Dandenong Stingrays product has noticed a shift in his relationship with his father.

“He tries to stay out of footy now, obviously with all the coaches and stuff we have here at the Saints, so he’s more of a soundboard that I can always go to if I’m struggling, or things are getting hard,” he said.

“I always go to him for advice, and he’s always in my corner.”

WATCH: Battle shoots and scores

Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd, who was assistant coach of the Haileybury First XVIII during Battle’s school years, was also instrumental in the young forward’s development.

“Lloydy’s been massive for me personally,” Battle said.

“When I moved [to Hailebury] in Year 9, ever since then we’ve had a great bond, and he mentors me in a sense still to this day.

“I caught up with him the other day, so he’s more of a mate now. He’s someone that I can always go to for advice, personal advice as well.”

After two strong showings, Battle is hoping to be selected for a third consecutive senior game when the Saints take on the Demons in Round 15.