Christian Petracca's teammate confirms 'staggering' news after fiancee caught up in Demons storm

Jake Lever has confirmed reports the Melbourne Demons players weren't fully aware of how much Christian Petracca was struggling in the wake of his season-ending injuries, and why he needed some much time away from the club with fiancee Bella. Reports have emerged in recent weeks that Petracca has become so disillusioned with the club that he'd rather play elsewhere in 2025 if he could get a trade.

The Demons have stated he won't be traded, and Petracca addressed his teammates on Monday to explain the situation. Petracca has been struggling mentally and physically since he suffered broken ribs, a lacerated spleen and punctured lung against Collingwood earlier this season.

He spent about four weeks in Noosa with fiancee Bella to get away from the spotlight in Melbourne, but reports have emerged that his teammates weren't told by the club the extent to which Petracca was doing it tough. Tom Morris of Channel 9 reported that some teammates felt Petracca was being "selfish" by not being around the club, and Caroline Wilson said it was "staggering" that the players weren't kept in the loop as to why he needed so much time away.

Jake Lever reveals Demons players weren't fully informed

Speaking on SEN radio on Wednesday, Lever refuted claims Demons players weren't happy with Petracca being absent, but confirmed they had no idea how much he was struggling. “We probably just haven’t understood what he’s gone through since his injury," Lever said. "He spent a long time away from the football club.

“For senior players like myself it was really an eye-opener of what he’s been going through (to be told by Petracca personally). I know he wasn’t in (at the club) a hell of a lot over the last 10 to 12 weeks, but since he’s spoken to the group about what he’s gone through, you can see him coming through the door (again).

“It was almost like a weight had lifted off his shoulders. He’s back involved, (we see) his smiling face at the football club again, that’s the Christian Petracca that I’ve missed. I fully understood once he explained to me that he needed time away and needed time with his fiancée Bella to really get away and football wasn’t the priority at that time. Which is completely understandable.

“He said he couldn’t speak to us five or six weeks ago, he wasn’t ready to talk about it. He hadn’t come to terms with it himself, let alone trying to speak in front of 44 guys that you see every day.”

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Simon Goodwin says Christian Petracca won't be traded

It's believed the lack of communication between club leaders and the players about how badly Petracca was struggling is part of the reason he wants a trade. According to Wilson, the likes of captain Max Gawn should have kept the players more informed about what Petracca was dealing with.

"I'm staggering that players didn't know why Petracca had gone up to Noose for a month," she said on Channel 9 on Monday night. "He was suffering some form of stress or trauma after what had happened to him, which is completely understandable. I find the communication breakdown at the Melbourne Football Club extraordinary."

Meanwhile, Demons coach Simon Goodwin has re-iterated that Petracca won't be traded, but stated the club is doing everything they can to support him. "With any trauma, it takes time," Goodwin said on Tuesday. "But we've got all the time that we need for Christian. It's important for us to make sure he's really happy and healthy and feeling really invigorated about the game and that's what we want for him."