Melbourne star Christian Petracca has signed a new two-year contract with the Demons
MELBOURNE fans can rest easy. Christian Petracca has signed a new two-year deal that will keep him at the club until at least 2020. But what is the midfield star’s unfinished business?
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MELBOURNE game breaker Christian Petracca says he is determined to deliver the success-starved club a premiership after signing a fresh two-year deal.
The Herald Sun can reveal the fourth-year goal kicker has recommitted until the end of 2020, thwarting any prospect of a big-money raid from rivals.
The early deal is a huge coup for Melbourne as the Dees strive to break a 12-year finals drought with a young list widely considered one of the most exciting in the league.
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Petracca, 22 said he wanted to clinch the new deal before the season starts as he rounded out the first full pre-season of his career.
“I can’t wait to start the season off, it’s all we are really focusing on but to finalise this contract for another two years is such a special feeling,” Petracca said.
“It’s awesome because this is where I want to be.
“We have such a young playing group which is thriving and so hungry for success and that includes the coaches as well.
“I think I’m a really loyal person and I was always going to stay, so it was just a matter of doing it at the right time. I think before the season starts was the best time.”
Petracca, who is preparing to play an increased role in the midfield this year, said the Melbourne playing group had tightened and had become “more demanding of each other” in the wake of just missing finals last year.
His deal continues the impressive re-signing spree from the Demons with star ruckman Max Gawn (2021), Clayton Oliver (2019) and Jesse Hogan (2019) all locked in beyond this season.
Petracca’s power and explosiveness has been likened to brilliant ball-winners Dustin Martin and Patrick Dangerfield at the same phase of their careers.
Petracca said the Demons were determined to taste finals action this year and ultimately deliver the club a drought-breaking flag.
“It’s pretty clear what we are capable of as a team and I’m very excited for our development together and the coaching staff we have got on board,” Petracca said.
“I’m only 22 and still trying to learn the history of the footy club. But the longer I have been here the more I understand the fans and how passionate they are and impatient they are because they haven’t had one since ’64.
“The more I come into this team the more I realise that’s all we play for — premierships. That’s all you care about is the team and what you can do for the team to win.”
Petracca said he was expecting to play in Saturday’s JLT preseason opener against the Kangaroos in Tasmania after winning their pool’s AFLX tournament last weekend.
The Demons open their regular season against Geelong at the MCG on Sunday, March 25.
The 39-gamer, who overcame a knee reconstruction in his first season at the club, said the agony of missing September last year had taught the emerging Dees a harsh lesson.
“It’s brought this group a bit closer together,” he said.
“We all realise we have got more to give each other and we are quite young and it’s not always easy to give that feedback when you are young because we aren’t as experienced.
“But we have got a lot more demanding on each other this year.
“Our (co)-captain (Jack Viney) at the moment is 24 years old so we have got just to be more demanding of each other and keep thriving off each other’s energy because we are young and motivated and we come in here every day with a sense of purpose and that’s what we want.” Meanwhile, the Demons have announced a new streamlined leadership group for 2018.
Nathan Jones and Jack Viney will again co-captain the club. They will be joined in the leadership group by Max Gawn and Jordan Lewis, who will both act as vice captains.
The model was a peer-voted system in consultation with the coaches and senior management of the club.
Originally published as Melbourne star Christian Petracca has signed a new two-year contract with the Demons
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