By Jake Niall
It began as an injury sustained in a contest on King’s Birthday public holiday that wounded Christian Petracca, physically and psychologically.
Like a boulder hurtling down the mountain, the destructive momentum from Petracca’s injury has gathered so much velocity that if it is not halted, it could demolish the Melbourne hierarchy.
Melbourne star Christian Petracca is not happy with his club.Credit: Justin McManus
Petracca has become a political problem for the Demons.
For Melbourne people – and plenty of well-connected supporters – the 2024 season has been an utter debacle, undone by Clayton Oliver’s issues and subsequent struggles on the field, by the constant questioning of the playing culture wrought by the Joel Smith drug investigation, by the untimely Angus Brayshaw retirement and now by Petracca’s winter of discontent and wish to be traded.
Petracca’s disgruntlement is more injurious to the Melbourne leadership – headed by president Kate Roffey and chief executive Gary Pert – than Oliver’s travails or the Smith schemozzle.
Roffey went on SEN to slow the boulder on Thursday morning as it hurtled towards the village, but succeeded only in putting herself more firmly in its path, despite protesting that the Demons “love ‘Trac’” and that they were mindful of his suffering post King’s Birthday.
Even if there were good reasons why she hadn’t talked to him, Roffey’s admission that she had not spoken to Petracca or his family was the major takeout for listeners. In political terms, a text message does not suffice when you’re the president.
“I don’t think it’s a stand-off,” said Roffey of the discord between player and club.
Oliver’s issues are viewed, rightly, as largely about Clayton – and he is said to be much healthier now. But for various reasons – not least the lack of a rigorous pre-season preparation – he had a poor season on the field. The hope is that this can be rectified over summer.
The Petracca problem, conversely, has become more about Melbourne and how they have handled a player who, at his best, ranks among the top half dozen in the competition.
Petracca might be self-focused. Many elite players are akin to tennis players or golfers in their drive for excellence and self-fulfilment. He might be more brand-aware – and a much better cook – than most footballers.
But he is also a thorough professional, with no history of mucking up – he wasn’t on either end of a punch outside Entrecote restaurant in 2022, or on the end of one of Smith’s text messages.
If he feels that club people – with some exceptions – did not show him sufficient care after his horrible injury on King’s Birthday, then the club hierarchy must take ownership of that, apologise and take whatever steps they can – bring in a mediator if necessary – to repair a fractured relationship.
Or they can trade him.
The latter option would be the normal course of events, given that Petracca has made plain that he wants out. Richmond are not likely to stop Shai Bolton or Daniel Rioli from finding new clubs. It will simply be about what they can get and it would be surprising if Fremantle and Gold Coast didn’t cough up the necessary draft return.
But a potential Petracca trade has a far higher degree of difficulty – it has a triple pike, in comparison with Bolton and Rioli.
Melbourne’s preference will be for players who can help the Demons now, rather than draft picks, given that Max Gawn is in his twilight, Steven May is past 30 and Jake Lever 28.
Petracca, unfortunately, has a preference for playing on Broadway, namely at Carlton or Collingwood. This limits the scope for a trade that can satisfy the Demons, who face a destabilising fallout from their fans if they accept anything less than full-tote odds in return.
Collingwood, whom Petracca followed growing up (and he has a relationship with Scott Pendlebury), have no draft capital to spend. If they were willing to put up Jordan De Goey as part of a Petracca trade (De Goey plus someone or a pick), there’s little chance of De Goey agreeing to join the Demons in their present dishevelled state.
The same applies to Carlton’s Harry McKay or Tom De Koning. Melbourne, if they are honest, would know that their prospects of attracting A-listers right now is slim.
Carlton would have to persuade McKay to go to Melbourne. A hard ask, at this troubled time.
Were Petracca willing to go to, say, St Kilda or Gold Coast, and Melbourne were open to gathering high-end draft picks, then a trade would be far more feasible. Ditto for Adelaide.
Petracca’s management, clearly, will try to cook up a deal. Petracca’s wishes for Broadway – big crowds etc – narrows the choices.
The Blues might be better placed to throw up something vaguely tempting once their season is done. But since AFL clubs cannot compel players to be traded, against their wishes, the deal is a fair chance to be stopped in its Trac, so to speak.
The only other hope for Petracca to escape from Melbourne, perhaps, lies in his teammates – if the senior leaders tell the hierarchy that they don’t want someone who doesn’t want to be there.
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