By Andrew Wu
Melbourne champion Christian Petracca’s season is over in a crushing blow to the beleaguered Demons’ hopes of reviving a spluttering campaign.
As club great David Schwarz put the heat on coach Simon Goodwin to get creative, the superstar onballer confirmed on Instagram on Thursday he would not return to the field this year, just days after he underwent surgery on a lacerated spleen sustained in the Demons’ loss to Collingwood in the King’s Birthday blockbuster.
Christian Petracca suffered serious injuries to his ribs and spleen in the King’s Birthday clash against Collingwood.Credit: Getty Images
“Thankful for all the love and support I’ve received these past few days,” Petracca posted on Instagram. “While my season may have come to an end, I’m grateful I still have the opportunity to give it my all again in 2025. In the meantime, I’ll be cheering the boys on from the sidelines and making some tasty meals in the kitchen.”
Petracca has been told by doctors he cannot take part in contact training for at least 12 weeks, which means he could not train fully until week one of the finals, effectively ruling him out for the rest of this year.
Petracca has been moved out of intensive care into a general ward and remains in good spirits, the club said.
Out of form and out of the eight, the Demons faced a mammoth task just to qualify for a finals berth let alone make a run in September – even if their four-time All Australian and dual best and fairest winner was available.
That challenge is now magnified without a match-winner who rivals skipper Max Gawn as the club’s best player.
In the top four after a stirring win against the then undefeated Geelong in round nine, the Demons have since lost four of their next five games, the worst of which was a 92-point hammering against Fremantle in Alice Springs.
There is a distinct likelihood the Demons, supposedly at the start of a dynasty after their drought-busting flag in 2021, will fail to win a final for a third straight year at a time when their premiership window should be at its widest.
Schwarz said Petracca’s season-ending injury was not necessarily terminal to the club’s hopes of winning the flag, but holds little confidence they can hoist the cup without him.
“They might make a run, catch fire but I doubt it,” Schwarz said. “I don’t see much changing. The forward line is just hopeless.
“I think Melbourne’s problems are bigger than one player.
“Let’s see how their depth goes, and move around the magnets for once. Let’s see how the coaching staff earn their money now, and not have Christian Petracca to deliver week in, week out, and have plans B and C which we haven’t seen yet.”
Petracca also suffered four broken ribs and a punctured lung after copping a knee to the ribs from Darcy Moore in a marking contest just before quarter time.
The Demons’ medical staff came under fire after Petracca returned to the field in the second quarter, but the player defended their actions, saying he was responsible for playing on. Melbourne said the pain “increased at half-time” before he was taken to hospital for scans, which revealed the extent of the damage.
Petracca’s absence places more responsibility on the other half of the Demons’ dynamic on-ball duo, Clayton Oliver, who has not returned to his brilliant best after a preseason disrupted by injury and time off to deal with mental health issues.
Livewire forward Kysaiah Pickett and rebounding backman Christian Salem can both expect extra time in the midfield to cover for Petracca.
The Dees will also miss Petracca’s threat in the forward line, an area of the ground they have struggled in since 2021.
Melbourne will start warm favourites after the bye against North Melbourne and West Coast, but have a challenging final seven games of the season, all against clubs in the running for a finals berth.
Petracca had been second on 145 matches for the most consecutive games played for current active players, behind Collingwood’s Jack Crisp. He has not missed a game since round six in 2018.
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