2018 Player Reviews: #5 Christian Petracca

[Demonland 72,225]

TRUCK

Christian Petracca is making gradual progress at the club and will be expected to improve on his consistency to live up to the promise he showed when recruited as a # 2 draft selection. Kicked 19 goals and was selected in the AFL Players Association Under 22 team for a second time but we believe he can and will do much better.

Date of Birth: 4 January, 1996

Games MFC 2018: 24

Career Total: 63

Goals MFC 2018: 19

Career Total: 57

Votes 2018 Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Memorial Trophy: 268 votes

 

[Frustrated Demon 244]

Is it time or better fitness that will make him the super star we think he can become. I believe he can be a devastating player if he can become consistent.

Edited October 11, 2018 by Frustrated Demon

[jackaub 1,402]

Needs to lose 5kg and improve his endurance

Runs out of puff 10 minutes into each quarter

Needs training and management but in the end he just has to want it badly enough to put in the hard work

[nosoupforme 3,085]

Christian is traveling well although we believe he should be doing better as  he is still learning his craft. He will find that spark and all will come together with him . A player that can get out of traffic and set someone up and on the run or off 3 steps kicks the ball like a Mule and hits targets with ease is a valuable commodity. 

If there is query with his game it is his set shots at goal and lacking a touch of fitness. Petrac is already a star however he can do alot better he just needs a breakout game just to break it open.

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

Clearly he needed a little rocket at his exit meeting or at the least, some stern words. 

It's always obvious to see when a player needs to put in more work. He needs to look at the way Clary turned himself around, Gawn the same, Salem's pre-season last year etc. 

Those three have reaped the benefits of having enormous off-seasons. Petracca only needs one and he will explode, then hopefully never look back. 

They're still young, it obviously takes time to get an understanding of what elite preparation and work ethic looks like if you don't already display it. 

So much upside it's riciculous. 

[FarNorthernD 5,861]

He just needs a good pre-season.......

[WERRIDEE 5,479]

A real enigma when he's hot he's hot when he's not he's not. Needs to get fitter and move into the midfield if he wants to get better.

[FlashInThePan 1,893]

He has all the attributes and is still building. I just can't help but feel he should be better than he actually is. Gus went past him this year both in impact and consistency. I still think he has another gear or two left to go.

I keep waiting for a break out game where it all comes together but it is looking more like a slow incremental build. I'm ok with that so long as it keeps going, he is nowhere near his full potential. I agree with the earlier comment that dropping a couple of kgs and building a bigger tank will get him into more contests. I think he is better in the midfield too, until he can sort out his head with his set shots. 

[layzie 33,833]

Yes he is making reasonable progress but I’m getting tired of hearing people say how there is one game coming where it’s all going to come together. This has clearly been the wrong attitude, as mentioned earlier I will be happy with the slow build. 

Needs to play more midfield, I think a permanent forward role will do nothing for his game. 

[Webber 10,473]

Considering his poor set-shot abilities, and his overall talent, the only reason CP isn’t playing more midfield minutes is that he doesn’t have the tank. It’ll improve, but game-long, on-ball endurance may not be his thing.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,850]

His major achievement of last season was hanging out with Ben Simmons and Lebron James in nightclubs, and boy did he let the world know about it. He followed up with a quite frankly mediocre 2018 season, with a couple of good games thrown in.

Hopefully this off season he can replicate the efforts of players such as Gawn, Oliver and Salem who apparently all went above and beyond in their preparations this time last year.

Edited October 14, 2018 by Bring-Back-Powell

[monoccular 17,432]

On 10/12/2018 at 8:37 AM, FarNorthernD said:

He just needs a good pre-season.......

Thanks, Col.  How is Freo going?  What was it really like to play under Ross? That bad?

But back on trac - he has absolutely enormous talent and potential, and I feel this generation of Demons (unlike the aforementioned) have the structure and the leadership on and off the field to help him (yes help him, needs to put in and dedicate himself) to reach the elite level.

Go Tracc!

Show us all, and show the sceptics.

Edited October 16, 2018 by monoccular

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,811]

17 hours ago, monoccular said:

Thanks, Col.  How is Freo going?  What was it really like to play under Ross? That bad?

But back on trac - he has absolutely enormous talent and potential, and I feel this generation of Demons (unlike the aforementioned) have the structure and the leadership on and off the field to help him (yes help him, needs to put in and dedicate himself) to reach the elite level.

Go Tracc!

Show us all, and show the sceptics.

I see what you did there. Well done.

[DV8 2,271]

On 10/12/2018 at 7:58 AM, jackaub said:

Needs to lose 5kg and improve his endurance

Runs out of puff 10 minutes into each quarter

Needs training and management but in the end he just has to want it badly enough to put in the hard work

I think the 12 month Stop-Watch needs to be started on Petracca.

He needs to get himself really fit... fitter than he's even imagined possible.  He should to be put under Crossy's watch, and control.

 

And If Tracca doesn't pass the pinch test, then he should not play... but train all weekend, instead.  He needs discipline to get in shape, and stay in shape... Or we are all wasting our time, on him.

[DV8 2,271]

On 10/14/2018 at 12:21 PM, Webber said:

Considering his poor set-shot abilities, and his overall talent, the only reason CP isn’t playing more midfield minutes is that he doesn’t have the tank. It’ll improve, but game-long, on-ball endurance may not be his thing.

IT will only improve, IF... he puts the effort in, day in, day out.

He''s another lazy talent. 

In a way he reminds me of another stallion, from my Era.  A Pies legend...  Rene Kink,  He had similar levels of talent and of discipline.

Kink was a classic underachiever.

Edited October 23, 2018 by DV8

[Biffen 12,943]

Sleeping Gorilla.

[DV8 2,271]

5 minutes ago, Biffen said:

Sleeping Gorilla.

Hibernating Bear.  Hibernates, during the winter.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,199]

He's a tease at the minute. I suspect there would have been some stern words as to where he needs to get to next year and what shape he needs to come back in. I believe Fritsch, ANB and OMac scored better in the B&F from a points per games played view. Needs to own accelerating his improvement or be left in the dust of Oliver, Brayshaw and Harmes. 

[DV8 2,271]

27 minutes ago, big_red_fire_engine said:

He's a tease at the minute. I suspect there would have been some stern words as to where he needs to get to next year and what shape he needs to come back in. I believe Fritsch, ANB and OMac scored better in the B&F from a points per games played view. Needs to own accelerating his improvement or be left in the dust of Oliver, Brayshaw and Harmes. 

He should not be on the mast head.

 

Anyone who does not perform, game after game as a leader, shouldn't be up on that Mast-Head.

It's mostly a popularity thing, than a deserved thing.  It should be Earn't.

Edited October 23, 2018 by DV8

[DV8 2,271]

On 10/16/2018 at 8:26 PM, monoccular said:

Thanks, Col.  How is Freo going?  What was it really like to play under Ross? That bad?

But back on trac - he has absolutely enormous talent and potential, and I feel this generation of Demons (unlike the aforementioned) have the structure and the leadership on and off the field to help him (yes help him, needs to put in and dedicate himself) to reach the elite level.

Go Tracc!

Show us all, and show the sceptics.

I sense that Tracca needs to be prodded, to shape up.

Even at the start, Roosy had to scorn him for poor discipline, after doing his knee.

 

I reckon Goody will have his hands full, with this one.

He might need one of these...

Hope this Helps Goody... Good luck.

[Elegt 872]

Lazy boy

[dee-tox 4,835]

Too simple to say lazy, doesn't work hard enough etc. Probably going to be a late maturer. Aerobic capacity has always been a work in progress. He'll get there. He'll be more like Dustin Martin and mature at 25, not 21.

[old55 23,613]

I'm a believer.  He was very close to explosion this year.

[DV8 2,271]

8 hours ago, dee-tox said:

Too simple to say lazy, doesn't work hard enough etc. Probably going to be a late maturer. Aerobic capacity has always been a work in progress. He'll get there. He'll be more like Dustin Martin and mature at 25, not 21.

This is sounding much like a former player, over at Port.

 

Edited October 24, 2018 by DV8

[Demon trucker 1,800]

Is building nicely, averaging 20  touches,  and just under 1 goal a game, there are 22 player every week, not everyone needs to be in to top 5 of the b&f.  If his still playing the same way at 23 then will judge harshly, g ablett  jur only averaged 16 touch's a game in first 100 games.