Christian Petracca could force a trade away from Melbourne via the AFL’s grievance tribunal

Despite Melbourne categorically saying Christian Petracca is going nowhere, there’s a way the star Demon could force their hand. JON RALPH has the story.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 10: Christian Petracca of the Demons leaves the field injured during the 2024 AFL Round 13 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Melbourne Demons at The Melbourne Cricket Ground on June 10, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Christian Petracca has the option of forcing a trade from Melbourne through the AFL’s grievance tribunal as his teammates increasingly ponder life without their star match winner.

Petracca’s prolonged campaign to exit Melbourne continues, with 45 days until the end of the trade period and no end in sight as his resolve hardens to play elsewhere.

The Herald Sun can reveal there is a process through the AFL’s collective bargaining agreement where he could ask the AFL to step in to broker a trade through mediation if all attempts to convince the Demons he wants a new start fail.

Christian Petracca could force a trade away from Melbourne. Picture: Michael Klein

He revealed his partner Bella was told by a doctor at 3am that morning that the brilliant Demons matchwinner might not pull through.

Melbourne believes it did nothing wrong in putting him back on the field despite four broken ribs and a lacerated spleen - and conducted a review into its own conduct - but Petracca remains aggrieved by their treatment.

The grievance tribunal is the nuclear option and has never been used before but is detailed in the AFL’s collective bargaining agreement.

The AFLPA is aware of the grievance tribunal, with some player agents in the league believing Petracca would have a case given the list of issues he has with the Demons.

The first option for Petracca would be opening up on his reasons for a trade - the club’s cultural issues, Clayton Oliver’s behaviour, the Joel Smith trafficking allegations - which could help force the club’s hand.

At a series of player gatherings across the weekend it was clear that players want more clarity over his future.

A series of Melbourne players met on Sunday night at the Botanical Hotel, with some now despairing at the damage being done to the club and aware that trading Petracca might be the right option.

Petracca’s future is up in the air. Picture: Getty Images

The man widely thought to be the next captain of the football club has now done irreparable damage to his leadership aspirations.

The Melbourne star forward again asked for a trade in his exit meeting on Monday, but the Demons are adamant he is going nowhere given five years on a deal worth well over $6 million in salary obligations.

He is still processing the trauma of his injury, which put him in hospital for repeated stints but has also had a long-lasting aftermath as he comes to grips with returning to football.

He is not able to get his heartbeat up over 100 beats per minute for another month and will deal with trauma experts as he tries to work through his mental issues over a return to football.

While his camp might have hoped he could find his way to a power club like Carlton in a deal for Harry McKay that trade is not going to happen.

Carlton and McKay’s manager David Trotter on Tuesday made clear that McKay was off the table and would not be part of any discussion over Petracca’s future.

Petracca told an episode of the Howie Games podcast his partner Bella was called by a doctor while he was in hospital telling her how dire his predicament was at one stage.

Petracca on his way to hospital after the incident. Picture: Fox Sports Australia

Petracca broke four ribs, suffered a lacerated spleen and had a small puncture in his lung.

“This must have been 3am in the morning. I didn’t know at the time; I was drugged up,” Petracca told Mark Howard.

“Bella came to the ICU the next day and basically said that at three in the morning we got the number off the surgeon because he called to say you might not make it. He’s in critical condition. Because there was internal bleeding and everything. So (I was) in a serious and critical condition. For me, it was more that, that hit home rather than the actual injury itself. I’ll be fine physically and I’ll be able to train and get back to playing. It’s just more that piece; that the people around you feel it more than you.

“Even since then the last 6-7 weeks have been really tough on both of us. She’s been amazing for me since I first met her but just through this experience... I’ve got insomnia I feel like; to be honest, I can’t sleep.”