Demons star Christian Petracca delivers magical memory for young fan Lucas Peters

The 2021 AFL grand final was “pretty unreal” for Hobart schoolboy Lucas Peters, who scored front row seats to watch his good mate – Norm Smith medallist Christian Petracca – bring home the silverware.

AS celebrations for Melbourne Demons fans spilt over into Sunday, few had a wider grin than Hobart schoolboy Lucas Peters after his team broke a 57-year premiership drought with a 74-point win over the Western Bulldogs in Perth.

Not only did Lucas and his family have a front-row seats thanks to his special friendship with Demon’s star Christian Petracca, the 14-year-old shared a magic moment after the game when the Norm Smith medallist sought him out in the crowd to pose for a photo.

The pair first met in 2015 when Lucas was undergoing treatment in Melbourne for muscular dystrophy and since then Petracca and Lucas have formed a close friendship.

Lucas Peters with Christian Petracca after the Demons’ AFL grand final win. Picture: Getty

The New Town schoolboy said witnessing his team win a premiership and his good mate win the medal for best on ground was a special day he won’t forget.

“It was pretty unreal and Christian played amazing so it was a really good day,” he said.

“I was pretty nervous at half time and then when the Dogs got up by three or four goals I thought we might have been gone, but I knew we would fight back and we did, which was awesome.”

Lucas’s dad Mick Peters said it was a special day for his family.

“It was pretty emotional to be honest,” he said.

“To see Christian perform the way he did and to win the premiership and for him to share it with Lucas is something we’ll treasure forever.”

Lucas Peters with Christian Petracca in the Demons change rooms during the 2016 season. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Lucas Peters and his cousin Oli spending time with Christian Petracca on Sunday after the AFL grand final celebrations.

Another Tassie parent with a big smile on her face was Hobart teacher Melissa Brown, mother of Demons forward Ben Brown.

She watched the grand final live along with her family – plus Brown’s high school PE teacher Ross Hubble who landed a ticket from her former student when his brother Cameron couldn’t make it to Perth.

“I still can’t believe it happened and I think it’ll take a few days to really sink in,” Mrs Brown said.

“We managed to go down to the rooms to celebrate with him and we got a photo with the cup and with ‘Chocco’ [Melbourne’s head of development Mark Williams] and it was a great moment,” she said.

Ben Brown with his family and the 2021 premiership cup in the rooms after the game. Picture: Instagram

Mrs Brown said it was a great experience seeing her son win an AFL premiership in his first year at the Demons after a tough period in which the key forward made the move from North Melbourne.

“He’s needed a great deal of self-belief to get through these 12 months because it’s been difficult so it was great to see him rewarded,” she said.

Scott Archer at home celebrating Melbourne’s AFL grand final win. Picture: Mireille Merlet

Back in Hobart, it was all smiles for die-hard Demons fanatic Scott Archer who was watching the replay of the game on Sunday to relive the experience after a tough few decades.

“I’ve been a Dees supporter since I was five and it’s been a long and bumpy road but yesterday made it all worth it,” Mr Archer said.

“Us Demon fans have had many lows and winning the premiership was just unbelievable and to be honest I’m still a little shocked and can’t really believe it happened.”

Mr Archer said it was an emotional day that ended in pure jubilation.

“When the Dogs were a few goals up in the third quarter I though ‘Oh, here we go, they’re gonna let me down again’, but then we turned it around and it was celebration time in the last quarter and the next minute I was dancing around my house singing.”