By Peter Ryan
Melbourne have informed members they are reviewing their football program after it was reported that premiership midfielder Christian Petracca was disillusioned with the club’s direction.
A letter from club chief executive Gary Pert reassured members that Petracca was a valued member of the group and would serve the full length of his contract, which runs until the end of 2029.
Christian Petracca is comforted by his mother Elvira after he was injured in the King’s Birthday clash in June.Credit: Channel Seven
However, Pert revealed that the club was engaging a cross-section of players, coaches and staff within the football program, including Petracca, to “discuss the improvements we need to make to return to the level we expect from our AFL program”.
After being eliminated from the finals in straight sets in the past two seasons following their 2021 premiership win in Perth, the club has slipped to 13th on the ladder and out of finals contention with two games remaining.
Melbourne captain Max Gawn contests the ball against Port Adelaide on Saturday night.Credit: Getty Images
Petracca has been recovering from a spleen injury from the King’s Birthday match when he copped a knee in the side from Collingwood’s Darcy Moore that led to him being hospitalised and having emergency surgery. He has spoken publicly of the trauma of being in hospital, and the club has allowed him time away in Noosa to recuperate and freshen up mentally.
“The 2024 season has been disappointing for us all, and we must quickly turn our attention to what is required moving forward, both on and off the field, to ensure we climb back up the ladder,” Pert wrote.
“A key part of this process is openly discussing any opportunities we identify where we can seek to improve. Over recent weeks there have been conversations with many of our leaders, Christian included, about our opportunities for growth.”
The club described their process as “a regular part of football” with the move an attempt to reassure supporters the Demons are addressing any concerns among senior players and about their program.
Premiership coach Simon Goodwin is contracted until the end of 2026, while Petracca and Clayton Oliver are on long-term deals. Oliver had an interrupted pre-season as concerns about his wellbeing overshadowed his football preparation, and he has not been able to reach the heights of previous seasons.
The Demons are likely to try to recruit Port Adelaide’s Dan Houston in the trade period and are also suitors for West Coast’s Harry Edwards. They recently re-signed premiership players Ed Langdon and Harrison Petty.
The club is yet to inform out-of-contract assistant coaches whether they are staying beyond 2024 and will not make those decisions until the end of the season. Long-serving assistant and forwards coach since their premiership year Greg Stafford is among the coaches out of contract at the end of the season.
Melbourne have attracted fewer than 20,000 spectators to each of their past two matches at the MCG, both played on Saturday nights against non-Victorian teams.
Carlton’s injury chaos: Star forwards headline woes
Carlton will be forced to fight for their season without Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay, with the star forwards headlining six forced changes following a day of Blues carnage at the MCG.
Curnow (ankle) and McKay (quad) will be sidelined for Sunday’s must-win match against West Coast at Optus Stadium.
The pair have been listed as missing one-to-two weeks, meaning they are every chance to be out for the rest of the home-and-away season.
Charlie Curnow went down with an ankle injury against the Hawks.Credit: Fox Footy
Defenders Adam Saad (hamstring) and Jordan Boyd (adductor), and forwards Jack Martin (hamstring) and Lachie Fogarty (collarbone) were also injured during Sunday’s disastrous 74-point smashing by Hawthorn.
Boyd and Fogarty have been ruled out for the rest of the season, while Saad and Martin will be out for up to two weeks, like McKay and Curnow.
Tom De Koning (foot/lung), Adam Cerra (hamstring), Orazio Fantasia (calf) and Matt Cottrell (shoulder) were already missing from the Blues’ first-choice team.
Blues coach Michael Voss will have to get creative to fill the holes of Curnow and McKay, who have shared the last three Coleman medals between them.
Curnow’s injury means he will be denied the chance to become the first forward since Gary Ablett Snr (1993-95) to win three-straight Coleman medals.
The 27-year-old entered the clash with the Hawks under an injury cloud, failing to finish the match.
Star defender Jacob Weitering believes the Blues let their fans down in capitulating to Hawthorn.
The Blues vice-captain admitted it was a tough review of their fifth loss in six games.
“Disappointing is probably the way to look at it,” Weitering said on Tuesday before Carlton’s injury report was released.
“Certainly lost some connection. There wasn’t a whole lot of communication (on the ground).
“There was some honest conversations about what we can do better as individuals, as line groups, and as a team.
“It’s certainly not the way we play our football.
“And I guess, in a sense, we certainly let ourselves down, the fans, and we’ve got a massive opportunity to make it right this week.”
As difficult as the loss was to take, Weitering urged for calm.
If Carlton win their last two games against West Coast (away) and St Kilda (Marvel Stadium), they can still play finals for the second-straight season.
Three weeks ago the Blues were sitting second and seemed destined to secure a top-four finish for the first time since 2000.
During the middle of last season Carlton slumped to 4-1-8 and they memorably surged home to make a preliminary final.
“Last year everyone was saying blow the place up again,” he said.
“They were calling for Vossy’s (Blues coach Michael Voss) head halfway through and saw what happened.
“Our best is certainly good enough if we play the right way.”
AAP
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