Christian Petracca could turn to 'never-before-seen' act to force exit from Melbourne Demons
Petracca has reportedly made it clear that he wants to play for another club in 2025.
The Melbourne Demons have made it abundantly clear they have no intention of letting Christian Petracca leave, despite numerous reports the 28-year-old wants to play for a rival club in 2025. But it's now emerged there is an avenue the premiership winner could turn to in the AFL’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that may force through a move, if Petracca chooses to go down that path.
The player himself has so far been reluctant to publicly come out and ask for a trade, with another five years still to run on his lucrative contract with the Demons. Numerous reports claim Petracca has made it clear he wants to join another Victorian club in 2025, with Collingwood and Carlton linked but both ruling out a move for the midfield gun this week.
However, The Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph revealed on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle that Petracca could turn to a "nuclear" option that's never been used before by a fellow player, if he really wants to force through a move. As the AFL reporter explained, such a "grievance process" would require Petracca to prove that the club's treatment of him constitutes a breach of contract.
“He will do anything he wants in the next six weeks to get himself outside of the Melbourne Football Club, he’s prepared to watch the world burn if it gets him to the club of his choice,” Ralph said about the reportedly disgruntled Demons star. “The nuclear option, if all else fails, it’s the AFL’s grievance process which is detailed in the CBA, it’s never been used before, he’d have to prove a breach of contract and the basis of that would be the club’s treatment of him.
Could Petracca access the grievance tribunal to get out of MFC? Some industry figures believe he might have a case. His camp has considered using it before even in a very different circumstance. They will hope it isn’t needed. With @ClarkyHeraldSun https://t.co/heiYtochKw pic.twitter.com/AZ4K1sOiPr
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) August 27, 2024
“There are some people in the industry that think he would have some sort of case, that’s an educated view. If all else fails, whether that’s public discussions or a tell-all interview, he at least has one final throw at the stumps to say 'you must trade me'. He’s going to hope it doesn’t get to that, but it is something that he could work through.
“Everyone talks about brand... people who are close to him would say he knows the damage he is doing to his brand right now and yet the fact he is so keen to be traded shows you the reasons that he has, he has powerful reasons to get out.” Central to the Petracca saga are reports he's had a falling out with teammates and the relationship between the star and the club is now “beyond repair”.
Christian Petracca has reportedly fallen out with teammates
The situation arose after Petracca suffered season-ending injuries from a game against Collingwood in June and was granted leave to travel with his fiancée Bella to Noosa. The 28-year-old was struggling mentally and physically but the extent of his problems weren't communicated with teammates and his absence from the club caused friction within the playing group.
The premiership-winning midfielder held clear-the-air talks with the Demons and his teammates to explain the situation when he returned but it's understood there are still unresolved issues. The Age's Sam McClure and SEN's Sam Edmund both reported that Petracca's presence at the club's end-of-season function caused "tension" and left some Demons players feeling "noticeably uncomfortable". McClure wrote: “Three club sources and two sources close to Petracca, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue, told this masthead that his falling out with the club appears to be beyond repair."
Demons teammates want 'clarity' on Christian Petracca saga
Petracca reportedly reaffirmed his desire to leave the Demons after an exit interview with the club on Monday. And The Herald Sun's Jay Clark warned that until his teammates get "clarity" on whether or not the 28-year-old is committed to the team, then the saga has the potential to be very damaging for the entire club.
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“Every day this uncertainty continues to drag on… the team culture is being dragged through the mud, it is taking a toll on the bond (between players)," Clark said. “They want clarity, I think Christian Petracca can play for the Melbourne Football Club next year, but there needs to be some repairing of some of the relationships
Veteran reporter Mark Robinson also revealed on Tuesday night's AFL 360 program that teammates had become “frustrated” with Petracca and the ongoing drama. “Melbourne were building a culture that led to a premiership in 2021. It’s gone a little off skew since then,” Robinson said. "Can Christian Petracca and Melbourne get it back on track?
"Part of me says ‘suck it up princess, it’s not just about you’. You are not the footy club. I can see the Christian Petracca side but they’ve told him the love him, they told him the care for him. I don’t know if they can come together.”
