AFL trade news: Demons emphatically shoot down Petracca trade reports

Melbourne has rubbished reports Christian Petracca could leave in a letter to members, with CEO Gary Pert confirming talks were had with senior figures on how to improve the club.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – MAY 09: Christian Petracca of the Demons celebrates after scoring a goal during the round nine AFL match between Carlton Blues and Melbourne Demons at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on May 09, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Christian Petracca is locked in at Melbourne for the next five seasons with chief executive Gary Pert writing to members to rubbish reports he could be traded.

Demons members were told a “cross section” of players as well as coaches and staff had been engaged in discussions around improvements that must be made for season 2025.

But Pert was emphatic that Petracca was going nowhere, confirming the Herald Sun’s report on Monday night.

Petracca won’t be leaving according to the Dees. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“Following the media speculation last night regarding Christian Petracca, I want to take the opportunity to provide clarity to you all,” Pert wrote.

“Christian is an integral and much-loved member of the Melbourne Football Club. He is a key pillar of our club’s future, and we value him immensely, not only as a player, but as a person and a leader.

“He has been an important member of our football program since he walked through the doors in 2014 and is contracted until the end of the 2029 season. He will remain in the red and blue until at least the end of his contract and hopefully beyond.

“Following his season-ending injury in June, Christian is still very much in a recovery and rehabilitation period and his health and wellbeing remain the club’s priority.

“He recently spent some time away in Noosa with his fiance Bella, and I know staff, players, coaches and our supporters were thrilled to see him back at the club late last week as he commenced some very light training.”

The Demons have lost their past four matches to crash out of premiership contention. They have not won a final since the 2021 premiership.

The superstar has not played since King’s Birthday. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Pert described the 2024 campaign as “disappointing” after three consecutive finishes inside the top four at the end of the home-and-away seasons.

The Demons are committed to restoring pride to their jumper and want to finish the season strongly with games against Gold Coast and Collingwood.

“Over recent weeks there have been conversations with many of our leaders, Christian included, about our opportunities for growth. These conversations have been open and constructive, with the purpose of ensuring that together we achieve the success we know our AFL program is capable of,” Pert said.

“Conversations like these are a regular part of footy and will continue over the next few weeks, as we map out a clear path towards ensuring our AFL program is back in finals contention in 2025.

“Importantly, this process starts now, and Goody, Max and the entire football program look forward to finishing the season strongly and playing a brand of footy that makes you, our members, proud over the coming two weeks.”

DEMONS SLAP DOWN PETRACCA TRADE REPORT AS RECOVERY TAKES TOLL

Melbourne will not trade Christian Petracca under any circumstance with Demons powerbrokers on Monday night emphatic that suggestions he could play elsewhere in 2025 were wildly inaccurate.

Petracca, 28, attended Saturday night’s match against Port Adelaide at the MCG as he recovers from a lacerated spleen and was walking laps of the tan in the hours before that clash.

The 2021 Norm Smith Medallist is still not allowed to get his heart rate above 110 and the family was disgruntled with his medical treatment following internal injuries sustained in the King’s Birthday blockbuster against Collingwood, where he was allowed to return to the field.

“The first few weeks were pretty traumatic, to be honest, I’m not going to lie — ICU, into a ward and then in and out of hospital,” Petracca told AFL360 in June.

“I got rushed back into hospital about a week ago early in the morning for a few check-ups — I woke up just with a few complaints and went straight to hospital.

“It’s been quite stressful, it’s something I’ve never experienced. My first year I did my ACL, and I was a bit young and naive and brash and didn’t understand the severity of the injury. Now, at 28, it’s a lot different.”

A major part of the Petraccas’ frustration was the isolation. In the first 10 days following the injury he had not seen anyone other than his parents and his fiancee.

But senior club sources were at pains to stress that Petracca was not going anywhere despite reports he was disillusioned with the club’s direction.

While Petracca was disgruntled, it is understood there is no bad blood that would result in the four-time All-Australian demanding an exit.

Petracca is contracted until 2029 on a $1 million per season deal and remains critical to the club’s hopes of rebounding up the ladder in 2025.

Christian Petracca leaves the MCG in pain on the King’s Birthday clash. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

The Demons are confident they will remain in premiership contention and have rejuvenated their playing list this season.

The club has handed five players their AFL debut – behind only Richmond, North Melbourne and Collingwood (all six) – and have repeatedly fielded one of the youngest line-ups in the AFL.

New players Blake Howes, Caleb Windsor, Koltyn Tholstrup, Kynan Brown and Andy Moniz-Wakefield have all displayed encouraging signs.

Petracca’s injury also opened the door for Trent Rivers to shine as an onballer while Judd McVee has also had brief stints in the midfield where he has shown similar promise.