Buyer beware? What Demon Harrison Petty’s form drop means for Adelaide Crows’ mega-deal
The Adelaide Crows went hard for Demon Harrison Petty in the off-season with plenty of draft capital in hand. They’ll come again at the end of 2024, but will they be offering as much?
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Melbourne swingman Tom McDonald has backed teammate Harrison Petty to overcome his early-season form slump as Adelaide continues to monitor his progress after last year’s aborted trade.
Petty has kicked a single goal in five games played mostly forward and on Thursday night had two clanger kicks, one ineffective handball and one ineffective kick amid six goalless possessions.
Former Adelaide forward Josh Jenkins said on Friday he was being “thrown to the wolves” as a forward and should swap ends with McDonald.
But McDonald told this masthead after overcoming an identical lisfranc foot surgery as Petty the club had to back in the 24-year-old up forward.
The lisfranc surgery can rob players of lateral movement and confidence in their foot, with McDonald adamant Petty would soon “click” after last August’s surgery.
“He was the one who went through the lisfranc issue last year and it does take some time,” he said.
“Even when you are back playing it can take some time to get your touch back and to feel confident jumping at the footy. I have got no doubt when it clicks for him he will be fine but it just takes a little while to get that confidence back. It is a nasty injury.”
Key defender Daniel Turner put on a star turn with three goals playing forward, while ex-Adelaide forward Shane McAdam kicked three goals in three quarters in the VFL but will need another hit-out before being AFL-ready.
Petty’s situation is fascinating because the Crows were prepared to offer a five-year deal worth $4 million last season as well as two first-round picks given their determination to secure another key position target.
This masthead understands their first-round pick this year and their 2025 future first-rounder are both on the table for potential trades, although Petty’s worth is now uncertain.
He made clear to Melbourne over the off-season after they blocked his trade request he was devoting himself to the Demons in an attempt to win a second premiership after the 2021 flag.
Some of the behavioural issues that concerned him about Melbourne’s culture have now eased, although he will eventually return to Adelaide at some stage during or after his career.
He is contracted to 2026 and has been told by the Demons they are prepared to offer him a contract extension past that date this season but is unlikely to take up that offer.
As an unrestricted free agent at the end of 2025 he is on a reasonably modest salary so will be desperate to bounce back to form either to justify a lucrative extension or show Adelaide he is still worthy of their interest.
Whatever he decides, as Adelaide continues to assess his progress, he must find a way to bounce back to form.
Jenkins said of Petty on Friday: “He ain’t no forward”.
“They are desperately trying to make him, probably us and themselves believe that Harrison Petty is a forward,” Jenkins told SEN Radio.
“I’d throw him back, playing where he’s going to help you in terms of playing his best footy.
“They don’t need him forward because he ain’t getting it done forward.
“He’s kicked six once and three once, so twice in his career, he has had a meaningful contribution forward. He looked that far off it last night.”
“He moves like a defender, he doesn’t have a dynamic change of pace and movement and he doesn’t get separation. In fairness to him, he was in a position to receive the footy a couple of times early in the game and the disposal and the ball use was quite ordinary, but he just is not a forward. I am happy to go to the grave with that.”
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