AFL 2023: Melbourne shuts down Harrison Petty trade talk

Melbourne swingman Harrison Petty is set to keep his options open after a huge contract offer from Adelaide. See the latest.

Harrison Petty of the Demons.

Melbourne swingman Harrison Petty is set to remain at the Demons next season after a mature and honest conversation with coach Simon Goodwin about his role in the team next year.

Petty had been the subject of a massive verbal offer from the Crows which would have averaged out at $800,000 a season.

He is interested in at some stage moving back to Adelaide to be closer to family, but Melbourne has shut down any trade talk.

And after discussing with coach Simon Goodwin about where he sits in the pecking order, he has committed to playing next year at the Demons to try to nab a second AFL flag.

The Herald Sun revealed on Wednesday the Demons were keen to extend his tenure past 2025, but it is understood he will not consider a contract extension.

Petty is a free agent at the end of 2025, which gives him some leverage.

An ideal scenario for Petty would be securing a premiership next year or in 2025 and then returning home to play the rest of his career in South Australia.

Harrison Petty is staying at Melbourne ... for 2024 at least. Picture: Michael Klein

Goodwin explained to Petty how vital he was to the Demons’ structure, keen to lock him down as a key forward for 2024 rather than flipping him back and forward.

Petty is recovering from a lisfranc injury that saw him miss the finals series, injuring his foot only a week after he kicked six goals against Richmond in a commanding display.

The Demons’ view is that they are in a premiership window and must cash in so are not prepared to allow any of their talented key talls to depart.

Melbourne list boss Tim Lamb said on Monday the club did not believe it needed to bring in another key tall to support a forward line that will have a fit Bailey Fritsch, young star Jacob Van Rooyen and Petty playing forward.

The Demons are expected to bring in Brisbane tall Tom Fullarton and have offered the Lions pick 46 as compensation after securing that pick as part of the Brodie Grundy compensation.

Originally published as AFL 2023: Melbourne shuts down Harrison Petty trade talk