AFL 2024: Melbourne ticks off on Christian Petracca’s Austria training camp trip

Melbourne star Christian Petracca has made a surprise overseas trip and revealed more of his intentions for the off-season.

Melbourne star Christian Petracca says he’s trying to get himself back “physically and mentally to the person I was” with an overseas trip to Austria for a training camp.

Petracca will skip the Demons’ best and fairest to join other athletes at a Red Bull training camp, but said he expected to join teammates on the first day of pre-season later this year.

Melbourne said Petracca had been cleared by his surgeon to increase his heart rate from a previous limit which had meant slow progress in his comeback from a ruptured spleen and other internal injuries he suffered in a marking contest during the King’s Birthday game.

The 28-year-old said in an interview on Melbourne’s website that he was “just trying to prioritise my training and my injury” with the overseas trip.

Christian Petracca was put through a traumatic surgery ordeal in June after he suffered a ruptured spleen, punctured lung and cracked ribs in a marking contest collision against Collingwood. Picture: Supplied

“It’ll be awesome probably from a mental point of view, getting back to that confidence in myself and my body, ready to attack day one of pre-season,” he said.

“For me it’s just been the most amazing experience, being able to use their facilities and have access to some of the best high performance people in the world.

“I want to be able to compete and get back out on the (MCG) in round 1 for the fans, and be really excited to run back out there.”

Melbourne fitness boss Selwyn Griffith said the Demons had been able to have input into Petracca’s training regimen while in the Red Bull camp.

“This training camp is crucial for Christian, both from a performance and mental wellbeing perspective,” Griffith said.

Petracca sat alongside Melbourne AFL and AFLW players to watch a women’s game at Casey Fields earlier this month. Picture: Morgan Hancock / Getty Images

“We have worked closely with the high-performance team at Red Bull to ensure the camp maximises every opportunity, with the goal of having Christian fully prepared and ready for day one of pre-season.”

Petracca, who was widely reported to have pushed for a trade from Melbourne after dissatisfaction with the club’s direction, said he had participated in “really robust discussions” with the club’s leadership.

“I think for me, the conversations I’ve had over the past two or three months with the club have been really healthy,” he said.

“We’ve had really robust discussions. I think that’s awesome.

“Like any workplace or any footy club, you have these conversations throughout the year and you just want to make the environment a really good one that we love coming to work.”

The star midfielder had publicly made clear he would remain with the Demons earlier this month via a club statement.

Originally published as AFL 2024: Melbourne ticks off on Christian Petracca’s Austria training camp trip