Christian Petracca opens up on ‘car crash’ injuries with Melbourne star linked to rival club in bombshell trade deal

AFL superstar Christian Petracca has spoken openly about his mental health struggles following a shock injury amid growing speculation over his future with the Melbourne Demons.

The Demons gun suffered four broken ribs, a punctured lung and a ruptured spleen when Collingwood’s Darcy Moore accidentally kneed him on June 10.

The horrific incident, which was compared to a car crash, ended his season and the trauma it all brought with it still haunts the midfielder.

“The surgery was probably a very traumatic experience overall,” he said The Howie Games podcasting.

‘I was awake, had internal bleeding and could not be put under anesthesia. I can remember everything that happened during that time.

‘I didn’t feel like I was being cut, but I remember yelling at the surgeon and feeling quite claustrophobic.’

Petracca also said he was asked to give his fiancée Bella’s number to the surgeon.

“I didn’t know it at the time, I was under anaesthetic, but Bella came into the intensive care unit the next day and basically said that at 3am we had been given the surgeon’s phone number because he had called to say that you (Petracca) might not make it,” he said.

“He is in critical condition, there was internal bleeding and such. So he is in a serious and critical condition.”

‘For me it was the blow that affected me, rather than the injury itself.’

The football star says he still struggles to sleep because of the ordeal.

Melbourne superstar reveals there was a point when doctors thought he wouldn’t make it

“Honestly, I can’t sleep because of this kind of stuff. I need to see a trauma psychologist to process what’s going on,” he said.

“(I talk about) a lot of things. The self-doubt, the trauma, not the incident, just the trauma and the stress of it all. I’ve been in and out of the hospital three or four times through the emergency room.”

Petracca is convinced that he will soon be back to his old self, but at the moment the situation is still very uncertain.

“People are nice and friendly and ask me what’s going on, like, ‘How are you? How are you?’ I think I just get asked about it all the time, I just relive it so much,” he said.

“I think about it every day, and it’s something that I will eventually get over. So mentally I’m struggling a little bit, but I know that the work that I’m doing mentally – with my mindfulness and meditation and surrounding myself with good people – will undoubtedly pay off.

“I think you just have to understand that what I’m experiencing is pretty raw and a unique experience. (I) try to find a silver lining in everything, ‘Did this happen for a reason? How can I see the positives in a really tough situation?’ Being able to spend time with my loved ones.

Petracca says he still struggles with the trauma of the disgusting incident

‘So, when you see those images of my mother and my partner hugging me… we are all a son, a brother and a partner to someone, at the end of the day we are just people. Football is just a part of my life.’

The Demons claim Petracca, who has five years left on his contract, will not be traded, but recent reports suggest he wants to leave.

A report that in The age revealed that Petracca expressed his desire to leave the club during his exit interview.

Another report revealed he was unhappy with the handling of his injury, Melbourne’s recent form and the club’s handling of the Clayton Oliver situation.

It was also suggested that Blues striker Harry McKay could be a good option if Carlton were interested.

As speculation mounts over the move, football journalist Caroline Wilson has described the drama as “the most explosive transfer story in the run-up to the finals in a long time”.