House Rules for Woodville-West Torrens star and former Adelaide Crow Jared Petrenko

WOODVILLE-WEST Torrens expects a star midfielder and former Crow will miss at least half of the SANFL season as he competes in Australian reality television series House Rules.

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WOODVILLE-WEST Torrens expects star midfielder and former Crow Jared Petrenko to miss at least half of the SANFL season as he competes in Australian reality television series House Rules.

Petrenko, one of the SANFL’s premier midfielders who played 76 AFL games and kicked 50 goals for Adelaide from 2008-14, has not trained with the Eagles since November.

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Coach Michael Godden, who would not divulge that his gun onballer was on House Rules — a home renovation show on the Seven Network — and only reveal that he has “television commitments’’, said when he does return to the club he will need a solid month of training before being ready to play.

Jared Petrenko on the attack for the Eagles last year. Picture Sarah Reed

“We don’t really know when he will be back,’’ Godden told The Advertiser.

“He’s been to training periodically when he can get back and he’s been able to keep his running up but he’s done no football training.

“Whenever he gets back — and we don’t know when that will be but I’d expect it to be halfway through the year — I would say he will need four-to-six weeks of training before he plays.

“We need to make sure that he’s good and ready to go by the second half of the season.

“But he’ll definitely play with us at some stage.’’

Jared Petrenko celebrates a Showdown goal with Nathan van Berlo during his Crows career. Picture: SARAH REED

Petrenko’s television commitments — the series follows state-based couples who are required to renovate rivals’ homes with the aim of receiving the highest score to win a major prize — have taken him around the country.

Last year’s season of House Rules averaged 1.53 million combined viewers and offered a $200,000 grand prize.

The earlier the 28-year-old gets kicked out of the series the sooner he will return to SANFL action.

The Eagles, who have won the past three minor premierships but are without a flag since 2011, have won their opening two games this year against West Adelaide and Central District.

Petrenko is considered crucial to the club’s chances of winning this year’s premiership.

Third in the 2016 Magarey Medal, he is a powerful, hardrunning, midfield dynamo who can break games open in the blink of an eye.

Godden said a positive from Petrenko’s late start to the season is that he should be “fresh’’ for the Eagles finals charge and when it counts most in September.

He has a history of shoulder and leg injuries.

“That’s a bonus, that when we get him back he should be in good physical condition,’’ Godden said.

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