John Pesutto would fight Michael O'Brien for Victorian Liberal leadership

Victoria's shadow attorney-general John Pesutto, who captured national attention when he nearly lost his safe seat of Hawthorn on ABC TV's state election broadcast on Saturday, has told colleagues he will contest the Liberal leadership if he survives a knife-edge count.

That would pitch him into a battle with his friend of 25 years, shadow treasurer Michael O'Brien, who has put his hand up for the leadership should Matthew Guy, who led the Liberal-National Coalition to an ignominious defeat in Saturday's state election, stand aside.