Melbourne Demons pondering defensive switch for Harrison Petty after lean years as a forward

Harrison Petty has endured a lean few seasons up forward, but the Demons may be eyeing a positional shift back to defence for the man. JAY CLARK has the details.

Melbourne could make a big positional switch of the summer and return Harrison Petty to a key defensive role next season.

After an unsuccessful campaign bagging only nine goals from 20 games in attack this year, Petty has begun pre-season training with the Demons’ defenders at Gosch’s Paddock over the past fortnight.

While the Demons are yet to make an official call on a permanent move for next season, it is clear the club is open to shifting him back into defence as part of a new-look forward line for 2025.

The Demons are mulling a switch for Harrison Petty. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

Petty struggled to have any impact in the forward half last year amid Melbourne’s on-field decline and fell outside the top-10 of the best and fairest.

While coach Simon Goodwin persisted with the forward move for the bulk of last season, it appears the coaching group’s position may have softened as the club looks to climb back into the eight next year.

The club plans to trial Petty in forward and defensive roles over summer to help keep their options open for the swingman ahead of the practice matches which will begin to ramp up in February.

But with Petty starting pre-season with the defenders, it is clear the club is open to moving the magnets and shaking up the game plan to help it rise up next season in a massive year for the club.

Melbourne had arguably the best defensive mix in the competition in 2021-2023 but lost its top billing in 2024 as opposition sides scored far more easily against the red and blue.

Petty’s move back into defence would stiffen the back line and open up more opportunity forward of the ball for emerging marking targets Daniel Turner, Matthew Jefferson and VFL recruit Aidan Johnson to partner ace goal kickers Jacob van Rooyen and Kysaiah Pickett.

Johnson could press for selection early in the season as an aggressive and combative key forward who could provide a robust aerial target and a back-up rucking option.

The 24-year-old, who was taken pick 68 by the Demons in last month’s draft, has improved his fitness over the past year at Werribee in the VFL and has decent speed off the mark.

Veteran Jake Melksham and Shane McAdam will also eye a mid-sized forward role alongside star playmaker Kysaiah Pickett.

Harrison Petty training this month. Picture: Mark Stewart

McAdam, who endured a failed first year at Melbourne, is also keen to reignite his career in the forward half.

McAdam played only three games last year but has begun training with the Demons with a mindset to have the best pre-season of his career.

Petty, 25, was one of the best emerging stoppers in the game in the club’s 2021 premiership and has overcome some foot issues which threatened his career.

He could take the spot of Adam Tomlinson who was delisted at the end of the season after managing eight games in 2024 alongside Jake Lever and Steven May who formed one of the best defensive combinations in the league from 2020-2023.

Petty, who is from South Australia, showed considerable loyalty to Melbourne turning down some big-money advances from the Crows two years ago to re-sign at Melbourne until the end of 2027.