Demons star Christian Petracca has confirmed he'll miss the remainder of the season after suffering significant damage to his ribs and spleen.
In a post to Instagram on Thursday, Petracca confirmed his campaign had been brought to a close.
"Thankful for all the love and support I've received these past few days," he wrote.
"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, Ill be cheering the boys on from the sidelines and making some tasty meals in the kitchen."
Earlier this week Melbourne confirmed Petracca was set to be moved from the ICU as early as Thursday.
Petracca has been in hospital since Monday after suffering a knee to his torso in a marking contest during the Demons' King's Birthday loss to Collingwood.
The club confirmed on Tuesday that Petracca had broken four ribs and suffered a lacerated spleen as a result of the contest, with the Norm Smith Medal winner taken to hospital shortly after being subbed out of the game.
Petracca did return to the field for a period of the second quarter after the injury, but would be removed from the match shortly after before leaving the MCG.
In an update on the 28-year-old's health, the club has revealed Petracca's condition is improving, with the midfielder to be discharged from hospital in the coming days after spending time in the ICU.
"Christian is in good spirits and making positive strides in his recovery," Richardson said.
"Christian is expected to be moved out of the ICU and into a general ward by tomorrow morning, and discharged from hospital in the coming days.
"I want to make it clear that we have full confidence in how our medical team responded and the procedures they followed. Their expertise and swift actions have been crucial in managing Christian's injury and subsequent recovery."
Petracca played all 13 games for the Demons this season prior to his injury against the Magpies.
