Herald Sun Footy Podcast Round 5: Why Harrison Petty must stay forward to help Dees’ ‘barren’ forward line

The Demons were blown out of the water on Thursday night by the Lions, but they can’t panic and throw Harrison Petty into the backline.

Harrison Petty is tackled during his side’s loss to the Lions in Round 5. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Melbourne utility Harrison Petty needs to remain a key pillar in attack as the Demons’ “barren” forward line has come under fire to start 2023.

Herald Sun journalist Glenn McFarlane, speaking on the Herald Sun Footy Podcast, said the Demons weren’t too far off being able to contend despite being blown away by the Lions last weekend at the MCG.

“It’s interesting. They probably would have taken where they are at the start of the year if you’d offered them that,” McFarlane said.

“They put a lot of effort into those two games in Adelaide and they come up against a side last week, Brisbane were ready to launch.

“It felt like a 10-goal game, but fast forward four weeks and we’ll see where the Lions are and I think that won’t look like as bad a loss as it was.”

McFarlane said despite the Lions blowing the Demons’ midfield out of the water it was the forward line which was the “huge concern”, with Petty proving a “fascinating watch”.

Petty had just two touches and kicked one behind on Thursday night.

“Their midfield was badly beaten but they have to fix a few things up and they won’t be too far away,” McFarlane said.

“We know Adelaide came really hard for Petty last year and we know he’s got another year to run on a contract and Melbourne definitely want to keep him.

Harrison Petty lines up for a set shot during the Dees’ trip to Adelaide. The South Australian has had a dour start to the season. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

“I heard some people saying after the game on Thursday ‘I’d send him a cab straight to the airport and ship him to Adelaide’, that’s not what’s happening.

“They want to back him in and back him in as a forward, they can push him back on occasion because he might have to on occasion but the Melbourne forward line is so barren at the moment that they desperately need him in attack and scoring goals.”

While Petty just notching the one goal from four games, McFarlane said the swingman would want to “fill your boots” against Richmond.

“You look at that forward line now, Ben Brown is poorly out of form and has that knee issue and can’t move,” he said.

“Fritsch is a good player but not your number one forward and van Rooyen is a young kid who’s still learning the game and I think there’s some growth there but they need Petty playing forward.”

Clayton Oliver had surgery on his hand straight after the Demons’ loss to Brisbane, but is hoping to be fit for their clash with Richmond on Wednesday night. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

McFarlane said while it wasn’t an excuse, both Steven May and Clayton Oliver didn’t look fit, but coming off a bye both could be ready to go against Richmond.

“You know Clayton Oliver wants to play, always wants to play, but wasn’t quite right … he had surgery on the finger after the game and I’ve been told he’ll play in the Anzac Eve game against Richmond.

“Speaking to people around him and they’ve basically said ‘try to stop him from playing’ because he’s desperate to play.

“The certainty of footy is really good for Clayton and the club knows that and I think he knows that for sure. Should he have played? That’s conjecture but he’s pretty fired up to go again.”

Originally published as Herald Sun Footy Podcast Round 5: Why Harrison Petty must stay forward to help Dees’ ‘barren’ forward line