Petrenko is yet to consolidate a spot in the side, having played 21 AFL games since being promoted from the club's rookie list ahead of the 2009 season but that didn't stop the promising 20-year-old asking McLeod for his revered No.23 when the Crows champion retired at the end of last season.
"I asked Bunji [McLeod] myself at the end of the season," Petrenko said. "He said, 'yes' and that he would be honoured if I wore it, but the honour is all mine because there aren't too many greater players, whose number you could have on your back…I was absolutely rapt that he trusted me with it.
"I looked up to Bunji in terms of the way he trained and went about his business and he's such a caring person as well. One time we were riding up Mount Lofty and I was struggling away at the back as usual and Bunji ended up staying back to ride with me.
"He sacrificed his own ride and the chance to push himself in that extra session to get me through - they are the kinds of things he does. He was a great influence on me."
Petrenko was one of four young Crows to take over a number previously worn by a club great, with wingman Brodie Martin donning Simon Goodwin's old No.36, Rory Sloane taking over Tyson Edwards' No.9 and new recruit Sam Jacobs moving into locker No.24, formerly belonging to Brett Burton.
The quartet has played a combined total of just 57 AFL games compared to McLeod, Goodwin, Edwards and Burton's collective tally of 1,113 games.
Petrenko said it was important the young foursome didn't get weighed down by the expectation associated with taking on the revered jumper numbers.
"Every now and then people will say something to me like, 'you've got big shoes to fill', but I don't really think about that at all because I'm not going to be as good as Andrew McLeod," Petrenko said.
"He was probably a 10-times better player than I'll ever be - it's just an honour to wear his number.
"Bunji, Goody, Tyson and Bird are pretty hard players to replace and no matter who took their numbers it would be pretty hard for them to be like them."
Petrenko played the opening 12 games last season filling a niche as a crumbing small forward in the Adelaide attack, but has trained with the defensive and midfield groups this pre-season.
He has recovered from post-season foot and ankle surgery and is hopeful a return to defence will help him consolidate his place in the team.
"It was hard last year," he said. "I was playing with Taylor Walker, Kurt Tippett, Patty Dangerfield, Jason Porplyzia and also Brett Burton when he was fit, so I was the fifth or six option in attack and that made it pretty hard, especially for someone who's never played that forward role.
"I'm eyeing off a defensive position this year because last season guys like Matty Jaensch and Ricky Henderson really stepped up and did a good job in the forward line.
"I'll be fitter again than this year, so hopefully I can play a few more stints in the midfield too."
