Remarkable Christian Petracca transformation has Melbourne gun primed in contract year
With a contract year looming, maligned Melbourne utility Christian Petracca has shocked track watchers as he hunts a new long-term deal.
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Christian Petracca is primed to cash in on a contract year with a physical transformation that will see him play serious midfield time in 2020.
Petracca and captain Jack Viney have both completed their best pre-seasons in recent memory as the pair come out of contract at the end of the season.
Melbourne’s entire midfield group barely completed a summer session together last year and, as a result, was annihilated in defensive transition in a disastrous five-win season.
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Petracca is determined to play predominantly as a midfielder and has dramatically dropped his skin-fold numbers, with track watchers shocked at how lean he has become.
If he can become a hard-running midfielder who can still kick 20 goals in the mould of Jordan De Goey he could deserve a contract of $800,000 or more a season.
Fifth in the best-and-fairest last year after 22 goals and a 25-possession Round 23 contest, Petracca will hope to join the game’s elite with his new midfield role.
But he will need to perform those figures – the 24-year-old missed the top-ten in the Demons best-and-fairest in 2018, finished seventh in 2017 and 12th in 2016.
Last year at times with Petracca unable to sustain more than a couple of defensive efforts and Clayton Oliver more of a ball-hunter the Demons’ defensive DNA in the midfield was non-existent.
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The Demons believe he now has the aerobic capacity for sustained efforts, with full back Steven May also playing at his lightest weight in years after a solid summer.
Viney still carefully manages his long-running foot issues but has barely missed a main session and should make a return to the form that made him a midfield wrecking ball.
Petracca signed a two-year extension at the start of 2018 and has the flexibility to sign a two-year deal through to free agency or a longer-term deal should his form warrant it.
Like captain Viney, his ongoing tenure at the Demons is assured but the size of his contract will be dependant on the type of season he can put together.
Viney’s last four-year contract meant he was capable of earning around $2.5 million with incentives.
Melbourne football boss Josh Mahoney told RSN Radio this week that Max Gawn was in no danger of missing Round 1, likely to play at least one practice match, despite a medial sprain.
“He had a bit of an incident at training where he’s hurt his medial ligament and at this stage it probably looks like about three weeks that he won’t be able to join in full training for,” he said.
“But in terms of his preparation for the season, there’ll be a couple of weeks where he’ll be able to get at least one, maybe two, practice matches in before the season, so good result overall.”
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Originally published as Remarkable Christian Petracca transformation has Melbourne gun primed in contract year