- The Melbourne star was seriously injured on June 10
- There were rumors of a rift between the stars of Petracca and Demons
- Recovering midfielder has made a decision about his future
Melbourne Demons superstar Christian Petracca has finally responded to rumours that he is leaving the AFL club, announcing his final decision after weeks of speculation.
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.
He has been vilified ever since, with reports of discord within the Demons’ ranks and a disgruntled Petracca wanting to leave despite having a contract until 2029.
He reportedly indicated during his exit interview on Monday that he wanted to leave and shared his feelings with some teammates.
Petracca has not publicly commented on his future so far, although the Demons star has released a statement announcing his commitment to Melbourne.
“There has been much speculation in recent weeks about my role at Melbourne Football Club,” Petracca said in the statement.
‘This took place as part of the end of year evaluation process where I expressed my concerns as a leader and wanted the best for our club, the playing group and the fans.
Christian Petracca suffered a serious injury during the match against Collingwood on June 10
During his recovery, Petracca was rumored to be looking for a trade with the Demons, claims he has now denied
‘During this period I have communicated openly with the player management and club leaders to ensure that we can work together to improve as a club.
‘I make no apologies for my desire to improve our club and contribute to our success, both on and off the field.
“I love my football – it remains my number one priority and always has been. As for my future with the Melbourne Football Club, I remain committed to playing for the red and the blue.”
The Demons faced a crossroads after missing out on the 2024 finals, losing Alex Neal-Bullen and potentially Kysaiah Pickett.
Melbourne won the league in 2021 but struggled to finish in the top four in 2022 and 2023, dropping out of the top eight altogether this season.
Melbourne Demons general manager Gary Pert has insisted that Petracca would remain at the club throughout the ordeal
The loss of Petracca would have been a huge blow to the Demons, with club director Gary Pert also assuring fans that Petracca is not going anywhere.
“As we have said before, Christian is a much-loved member of the Melbourne Football Club and we value him immensely, not only as a player, but as a person and as a leader,” Pert said.
‘Over the past month we have been open about Christian sharing his thoughts on how we can improve ourselves as a football club.
“These conversations have made us a better organization and we are grateful that Christian, like all of our leaders, is willing to have the difficult conversations to achieve success.
“We move forward from here, aligned with ourselves and steadfast in our commitment to achieving the success we know our AFL program can deliver.
‘Most importantly, I know that many young Demons, who proudly wear the number 5 shirt, are excitedly counting down the days until we see Christian back on the football pitch playing the game he loves.’