Recent speculation surrounding a supposed rift between the Melbourne Football Club and their injured star Christian Petracca has been firmly dismissed by former Melbourne great and current AFL commentator Garry Lyon.
Speaking on 'SEN Breakfast' Thursday morning, Lyon shared details of his visit to Melbourne's training session on Wednesday, confirming Petracca's unwavering commitment to the Demons despite his frightening injury and the subsequent media storm.
"Christian Petracca is 1000% on board," Lyon stated unequivocally.
"There is not an issue in the world between Christian Petracca and the Melbourne Footy Club."
Petracca suffered four broken ribs, a lacerated spleen, and a punctured lung after a brutal collision with Collingwood captain Darcy Moore. Stunningly, he briefly returned to the field after the incident before being rushed to the hospital, where the full extent of his injuries was revealed. Following surgery and a stint in intensive care, Petracca himself declared his season was officially over.
In the days following the incident, media reports from Nine's Caroline Wilson and Tom Morris suggested that Petracca's family was unhappy with the club's handling of his injuries. However, Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin quickly moved to quell these rumours, expressing both his and Petracca's surprise at the reports.
"I think it all dates back to the decision to put him back on the ground."
Caroline Wilson gives more details on the frustration of the Petracca family over Melbourne's handling and response to the star Demon's injuries.#9FootyClassified | Live on 9Now ๐ฅ๏ธ pic.twitter.com/0SD14EX9pX
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) June 17, 2024
"We're really confident the family and Christian are in a great place," Goodwin said on Wednesday.
Lyon, being a former Melbourne captain, supported this narrative, even highlighting Petracca's eagerness to contribute to the team in any capacity despite the reports.
"He's home and bored senseless," Lyon said.
"Christian is desperate to get back and have a role. And they're (Melbourne) saying 'just sit tight.'"
It appears the primary source of the controversy stems from the decision to allow Petracca to return to the field after his initial injury, a choice that has been scrutinised heavily.
The superstar had declared via social media that it was his call to return to the field, but has since deleted the post and has since shared the impact the incident has had on him.
Speaking for the first time since the incident, Petracca revealed the extent of his trauma on NOVA 100, sharing how he holds doubt over a return to football and is even struggling to watch the sport without experiencing flashbacks.
โIt's been pretty traumatic. It's been pretty full on, I don't wish this upon my worst enemy,โ he said on Monday.
โI watched a little bit of footy on the weekend, I had to turn it off,โ he added.
โEven a simple tackle, you put yourself back in the situation you were. So of course, at the moment it's quite raw.
When asked if he is questioning his return to the game, Petracca replied: โBloody oath, at the moment, yeah. It's still raw for me, it's still seven days.โ
Still fresh from the open surgery he underwent at 2 am without an anaesthetic, his remarks are very understandable.
Melbourne hasn't directly addressed these comments, however, but remain confident in their superstar's allegiance with the club.
Goodwin noted that Petracca is keen to stay involved and support his teammates from the sidelines. "That's Christian," Goodwin said.
"He loves his footy club and loves his team."
The Demons now prepare for their upcoming clash against the suddenly dangerous Kangaroos, without their most influential player.
The match could be a tell-tale of how the club is coping with the glaring scrutiny and a look into how stable they will be without their illustrious Norm Smith Medallist.
