“You’re no good at footy.”

They’re the words echoing in Matty Parker’s head every single time he steps onto a football field.

For the 22-year-old Perth native, they’re a big part of the reason he earned himself a second chance at his AFL dream.

Rewind to mid-2016, and the prodigious talent was watching boys he grew up with make it to the big-time.

Boys he knew he could beat.

READ: Matt Parker's draft dream

But when he flicked the switch to turn his life around and give football another serious shot, he wasn’t met with encouragement; rather disdain.

A groundswell of doubters lit a fire inside Parker, which grew over time into a burning anger and eventually a desperation to prove them wrong.

He still remembers the moment, when amidst a complete lack of support at the biggest crossroads in his life, he decided enough was enough.

I’m gonna prove every single person who’s ever said something about me wrong.”

And from there, the rapid rise of Matty Parker from B-grade amateur to AFL footballer began.

Another major catalyst in his eventual draft success was his partner Shardah, along with their 11-month-old son, Matty Jr.

“I’ve got to provide,” he says plainly.

“No-one provided for me, so I’ve got to provide for myself and my son.

“I want to give my son a good life, not the life I had. I had to learn the hard way; I did all the wrong things and was getting into trouble until I decided to change.”

His rough exterior is testament to the fact that he’s walked the hard road, carrying his unique story in the ink that adorns him.

And his two favourite tattoos, unsurprisingly, are dedications to Shardah and Matty Jr.

“If I feel like giving up, I just look at them and it makes me work harder,” he said.

“Knowing they stuck by me and never doubted me, never said I was a quitter, never put me down … it just gives me more inspiration to do better, and go harder.”

WATCH: Highlights | Matty Parker

He speaks about his past with a raw honesty you can’t help but be drawn into.

“I was a reckless, selfish kid who just didn’t care about anything,” he admits.

“But I’m kind of glad I had to go the hard way. Some people come into league footy and they don’t realise what this opportunity means.

I’m just so thankful for the chance St Kilda’s given me, and I’m just going to give my all to them.”

Parker has already made a splash in the St Kilda camp with his instinctual style and undeniable X-factor, and when coupled with his considerable senior experience, an AFL debut is there for the taking.

And when he takes the field for the first time in red, white and black, those words will be ringing in his head.

“You’re no good at footy.”