Will Christian Petracca finally feel the love from the umpires at this year’s Brownlow Medal?
Angus Brayshaw stunned the Brownlow Medal vote count to finish third two years ago. Yet teammate Christian Petracca has polled only five votes in five years. But all that could be about to change.
Melbourne
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It had become one of the most curious Brownlow Medal droughts in the game.
For one of the league’s most exciting and eye-catching goal kickers, Melbourne’s Christian Petracca has been unloved by the umpires for almost the entirety of his career.
Whereas teammate Angus Brayshaw stunned the vote count to finish third only two years ago, Petracca has polled only five votes entering his fifth season.
But on Saturday, that dry spell would have surely ended.
The brilliant playmaker is now a lock to get an invite to the big night this year.
And when he puts on the black tie at season’s end, the No. 2 draft pick can bank on receiving his first votes in two years when he is given the three for his 24 disposals and two goals in the one-point win over Carlton at Marvel Stadium.
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In what was clearly one of his best games for the club, Petracca carved up the Blues’ midfield with his blistering ball use and dynamic run to help mark the start of a new chapter for the powerhouse Demon.
He was given the maximum 10 AFL coaches votes for the best afield performance, after polling only one solitary vote from the coaches across 22 games last season.
Ranked equal 14th at Melbourne for coaches votes last year, it was something of a wake-up call for a man with as much game-breaking talent as him.
But by the look of his chiselled new frame, and his performances in the pre-season and again on Saturday, the penny has dropped.
The 24-year-old looks ready to become one of the game’s most damaging midfielders in the same vein as Dustin Martin and Jordan De Goey after signing a decent contract extension in the new year.
Teammate Steven May on Tuesday said Petracca had become less shy and more confident in himself around the club after an outstanding summer, and was now only “scratching the surface” of his potential.
“It is just a maturity thing I think, he has always had the talent,” May said.
“This off-season and in the iso period he has worked really hard and trained super hard and is really leading that area.
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“He hasn’t been seen as a leader-type player. He is a bit of a larrikin and jokes around.
“But his training standards are second to none, as you can see by his rig.
“He is looking pretty ripped at the moment. He is pretty happy with that. You would have seen his shirt off a bit.
“But it is coming out in his football and he is feeling confident in himself.
“You could see he was a bit shy but the chains are broken loose.
“It’s going to help us play finals and be a contender and he is definitely going to be a big part of that.”