AFL news 2024: The desperate play Carlton could make to tempt trade for Christian Petracca

The Blues made finals by the skin of their teeth but JAY CLARK writes, there’s a bold play they could make to go even further in 2025 – tempt the Dees into the AFL’s biggest trade in 17 years.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 27: Christian Petracca of the Demons celebrates kicking a goal during the round 24 AFL match between Sydney Swans and Melbourne Demons at Sydney Cricket Ground on August 27, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )

Carlton has the power to land Melbourne’s Christian Petracca.

The question is whether the Blues want to maintain faith in their big forward set-up or make a play for the Demons’ superstar midfielder in October’s trade period.

In a nutshell, the one man Melbourne might consider letting Petracca go for is Harry McKay, if the Blues were prepared to consider what would be the AFL’s biggest trade deal in 17 years.

Carlton’s response to Sunday’s extraordinary two-point loss to a hungry St Kilda will be fascinating after Saint Jack Higgins produced one of the most extraordinary last-minute snaps in recent times to sink the Blues at Marvel Stadium.

He was an opportunist, Higgins, but considering his head was dumped into the ground only minutes earlier this was the best goal of his life, even better than the fly kick on the goal line at Richmond.

The Blues surged forward from the next clearance in the last 10 seconds but Saint Zak Jones pulled off a desperate smother to make sure the Saints stole the four points.

Patrick Cripps looked heartbroken after another incredible individual season.

But injuries or not, broadly speaking the 2024 regular season was a disappointment for the Blues who have lost six of their last eight games and struggled defensively for big chunks of the year.

Carlton led by five points but the Saints, in a contest laced with revenge, refused to quit, as former Blue Paddy Dow nailed a clutch third-term set shot, Liam Stocker ran with Cripps at times, and Saints’ coach Ross Lyon got the last laugh.

Lyon was the man Carlton chased to coach the club after it sacked David Teague, but in the end the board went cold on him, and favoured Michael Voss.

Is there a deal which sees the Demons agree to let Christian Petracca leave Melbourne? Picture: Phil Hillyard.

Voss has done a decent job getting Carlton to a preliminary final last year, and would love to have had a better run with injuries this season.

McKay, Charlie Curnow, Tom De Koning and Mitch McGovern all weren’t out there on Sunday.

But would Voss want to have a think about Petracca, one of the game’s best midfielders, to supercharge the onball group in exchange for McKay?

Maybe, the Blues would have to throw in something extra. Perhaps, an early pick in next year’s draft as well.

But McKay, whose brother Ben swapped clubs from North Melbourne to Essendon last year, would have to want to become the big banana in the Demons’ forward line alongside Jacob Van Rooyen.

A trade move to new colours is not everyone’s cup of tea and he has turned down Essendon’s advances in the past to stay loyal to the navy blue.

The move would blindside McKay, similar to the way Collingwood punted Brodie Grundy two years ago and Carlton shipped off young forward Josh Kennedy in the blockbuster Chris Judd trade back in 2007.

Would the Blues trade Harry McKay if it got them Christian Petracca? Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

But Carlton has Tom De Koning to play ruck-forward and Ashton Moir who dobbed the goal on Sunday to cut St Kilda’s margin to two points midway through the thrilling last quarter.

Conservatively, the Blues are much more likely to keep their man.

But in the wake of this season the Blues need to consider whether the balance of the forward set-up remains suited to modern day footy, how it can lighten the load on inspirational captain Cripps, and improve its defensive flaws which hindered it in 2024.

When De Koning is back, and Jack Silvagni returns from his ACL, and Moir pushes up, plus Marc Pittonet in the ruck, Carlton have more marking options forward than they need to partner dual Coleman Medalist Curnow.

McKay signed a bumper seven-year deal last season to stay with Carlton until the end of 2030. Petracca’s deal is similar, and Melbourne said they don’t want to lose him.

But there are still grumbles.

If there is a deal which could potentially work for both clubs, this is it.

It is bold, but is that what the Blues have to be after blowing its chance to seal a top-eight spot on Sunday?

Originally published as AFL news 2024: The desperate play Carlton could make to tempt trade for Christian Petracca