Christian Petracca

[spirit of norm smith 16,167]

Wacky Wednesday!!! Should be interesting if Trac turns up.  I hope he respects his teammates and enjoys the day.  Politics aside. All teammates should attend.  

[Lucifers Hero 39,320]

32 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

I think the club has held their tongue as long as they could, but now it’s time for the club to make it clear to Trac that this behavior is not going to cause us to bend over backwards. 
Maybe the club thinks that if the relationship sours on our end, and Trac knows he won’t be welcomed back, that HE would have to compromise on the club he goes to.
And that club will be the one that offers us the best deal, NOT the club that makes Trac the most amount of money on social media. 
 

Trac can’t have it all his way. He chose to leak the stuff to the media. Does he expect us to sit there and be used as his personal punching bag to achieve his own agenda? 
 

All that may be correct.  . 

But who is going to be the 'bigger person' and try and sort it out rather than beat each other over the head in the media.  I see only the club can initiate that.

To some extent I wonder if it suits the club to have this horrible side show as it detracts from the other issues at the club.  While not specific the club has said there are issues.  Christian could end up being the fall guy in more ways than one. 

tbh, I'm shattered at what is happening to Christian, to our beloved club, to us supporters. 

As I've said the only way I see an end to the public agony is to get a mediator.  I wonder what happened to that 'Leading Teams' that worked with PJ in the early days.  Then one of that team stayed as PJ's direct advisor.   (Note it wasn't the same team the Crows used.)

 

I've tried hard to not play the blame game, consider both sides and seek a path to a resolution one way or the other; a futile quest.  Anyway, I'm out.

Edited August 27 by Lucifers Hero

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,589]

Just now, spirit of norm smith said:

Wacky Wednesday!!! Should be interesting if Trac turns up.  I hope he respects his teammates and enjoys the day.  Politics aside. All teammates should attend.  

No way he is there. That is my call. Guarantee that is the story Thursday.

[Ollie fan 3,349]

Like most of us, my thoughts have changed a lot over the saga. It now seems clear to me that Petracca's team are doing the leaking, which has successfully created a position where it is almost untenable for him to stay; the club has done exactly the right thing by continually pointing to his contract, thus reminding everyone that he won't come cheap.

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,589]

1 minute ago, SPC said:

This might be the wishes of his fiancée to enhancing his brand and her earning capacity. I’d say that he is trying to keep her happy. 
He has [censored] on his brand.. he is also a very average cook.. there, I said it!!

Are you suggesting that a parma with bolognese sauce on top isnt a revolution in the culinary arts?

[OhMyDees 1,834]

7 minutes ago, At the break of Gawn said:

Isn’t Trac getting married over the summer? Imagine bringing all this upon yourself when you’re supposed to be looking forward to the happiest day of your life. This has totally backfired on him.

Maybe he wants the media attention for the wedding….

[layzie 33,724]

17 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

I think the club has held their tongue as long as they could, but now it’s time for the club to make it clear to Trac that this behavior is not going to cause us to bend over backwards. 
Maybe the club thinks that if the relationship sours on our end, and Trac knows he won’t be welcomed back, that HE would have to compromise on the club he goes to.
And that club will be the one that offers us the best deal, NOT the club that makes Trac the most amount of money on social media. 
 

Trac can’t have it all his way. He chose to leak the stuff to the media. Does he expect us to sit there and be used as his personal punching bag to achieve his own agenda? 
 

This is it.

It will come down to one thing, do you want out or not? If you want out then despite your long term deal we may be able to facilitate this and come back to your agent with potential suitors. 

If this is the players way of loopholing their way out of long term deals then we need to stand firm and say this is how it is. 

Edited August 26 by layzie

[biggestred 4,975]

29 minutes ago, Jjrogan said:

Any trade with the Pies obviously has to involve Beau McCreery 

we should trade for maynard. then both sets of fans can boo him kings birthday.

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,768]

11 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

Regardless of whether Trac has legitimate complaints about the club, and I am sure he does by the way, are you really ok for him to trash the club publicly? Because his teammates sure aren’t. 

This goes against everything a good leader would do. You don’t turn your entire team against you in some deluded effort to force change. Because now the only change that’s being forced here is getting rid of Trac. 

To think Trac's name was being thrown around at one stage as future captain material.  I'll wait until the dust has properly settled until I make my final judgement, but I'm not looking favourably on his performance at the moment.

Contrast Trac's public actions over the past few weeks with that of Gawn and Viney and you can see who the real leaders are at the club.

Probably leaves Jake Lever as next in line to the captaincy IMHO.

Edited August 27 by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,589]

Looking at other club forums (yes I know its sad), the general concensus seems he will be too expensive for his age. 

I wonder if he has ever considered a scenario where he stays at Melbourne? Will he and May have overt screaming matches on the field?

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,589]

Just now, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

To think Trac's name was being thrown around at one stage as future captain material.  I'll wait until the dust has properly settled until I make my final judgement, but I'm not looking favourably on his performance at the moment.

Contrast Trac's public actions over the past few weeks with that of Gawn and Viney and you can see who the real leaders are at the club.

Probably leave Jake Lever as next in line to the captaincy IMHO.

Lever ABSOLUTELY has to be the next captain. Stoic, smart and well spoken. And able to actually predict the right thing to say. 

[drdrake 3,151]

2 hours ago, Ungarieboy said:

Starting point - Trac is worth at least 3 first round picks comprising a minimu. 2 top 10 (1 being in the first 5). 

Any players involved bust would only replace 1 of these picks.

 

 

So essentially you are looking at Richmond, Fremantle or Gold Coast.

Should we trade him we need to make a massive play at Harley Reid.  We would have the cap space and draft picks, plus a lot of WA boys the WCE might be interested in.

[chook fowler 19,430]

2 minutes ago, Norm Smith's Curse said:

Lever ABSOLUTELY has to be the next captain. Stoic, smart and well spoken. And able to actually predict the right thing to say. 

recent form hasn't been great.

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

47 minutes ago, danielE288 said:

Regardless of this, weve still got one of the most fickle fanbases in Football, even when were winning we dont draw big crowds, So I share Trac's frustration here.

Is it a frustration though?  Sure we've had a pretty poor year after Rnd 4, with few exceptions, but other teams are still well below us on the average attendance ladder yet you don't see / hear any of their stars making this an issue or cause for concern.

Tracc being out also was a massive blow to any chances we had of making finals.  Does he understand that i wonder?

The Bont is easily up there or even ahead of Tracc in a star / performance / impact sense.  There was talk of 'unrest' with Bevo early in the season.  "He might not see out the season" etc.

But you never hear of their super star or anyone at the Dogs being upset about crowd numbers and wanting to go play for a big Vic club for the sake of 'their brand'.  That's not to say Tracc is doing so either but regardless why does this only get raised in the media when they discuss our club?

Now i'm not saying Tracc doesn't see this as an issue.  Maybe he does.  But if he does, i'd say that speaks more about Tracc than it does about the club.

Ok so raise it as a concern, but if you're a genuine team / clubman and just signed a 7 year multi million dollar deal, surely you look at ways to improve this side and sit down and work things out like adults?  How much love do you have for your club and team mates?  Hopefully more than many in the media would have us believe.

Having said that i don't think this is at the top of his gripe list and may not be an issue at all.  There must be other issues that has seen this alleged impass occur that are of more signifance surely?  It would have to be something pretty mega for a club's equally biggest star to ask to break a 7 year comtract only 2.years in yes?

Let's face it, Tracc could easily put any congecture to bed and come out publicly (alongside Goody?) and say so.  Maybe he still will but the non-appearance on Fri night has sent the media into a frenzy.

Let's hope the relationship is not beyond repair and they can all get in a room together and sort their stuff out.

It seems ironic to me that one of our biggest stars, who was injured and put in hospital by a player from the filth who had genuine intent to hurt, then allegedly wants to join someone like the filth ie; with a culture that ended Gus's career and nearly ended his.  This makes no sense at all and for me is a WTF moment if true.

If you made this story up and posted it online as a scenario prior to the event, no one would believe you and you'd be called out as a nutter.

Which then begs the question, how the hec did things end up here?

There are two sides and many complications to every story.  I'm happy to sit back and wait to hear from Tracc but surely if our NS premiership star has any genuine love left for his present club, he needs to move through this quickly and sort it.  As the longer this drags on the worse things will be for everyone involved and may leave a scar that could take quite a while to heal over.

Edited August 27 by Demon Dynasty

[beelzebub 23,311]

Today's lesson

Contracts are ....

1) iron clad

2) just a guide

3) worth sfa

[Roost it far 8,104]

34 minutes ago, Young Angus said:

Love Gary, put him in charge of this mess seriously, others all out Gary in to rebuild club from top down!

We tried that and it ended very badly

[The Taciturn Demon 422]

18 minutes ago, praha said:

The next step now is for Petracca's camp (and potentially Collingwood or Carlton) to start over-cooking his injuries to bring his trade value down. Continue making his place at the club untenable, force a trade, and get it at value.

Bookmark it. I reckon within 7 days we'll see a report about how he'll never be the same player again yada yada yada.

Absolute certainty. Not just his injuries but the broader idea that "the market reality is..." All ably assisted by an AFL media overwhelmingly wedded to the idea that "all player movement is good". Weirdo libertarianism - we must bow to the market as a benign deity - is rife in that world. 

The problem is supporters will buy it. It's already creeping in to this thread - people are earnestly posting absolutely awful deals. 

[gregdemon 624]

5 minutes ago, layzie said:

This is it.

It will come down to one thing, do you want out or not? If you want out then despite your long term deal we may be able to facilitate this and come back to your agent with potential suitors. 

If this is the players way of loopholing their way out of long term deals then we need to stand firm and say this is how it is. 

Buckley    said it best on SEN  this morning . Its not the Christian Petrecca Football club.    Melbourne can sit back and let others work.        come to us with a good deal or No deal.         We hold all the cards.      Good trade  or come back with tail between the legs and grow up   

[DiscoStu17 716]

3 hours ago, Kit Walker said:

I follow a lot of English/European soccer - star players are untouchable until they're not. Irreconcilable differences are irreconcilable until they're fixed. Which pragmatically they usually are.

I don't want Petracca to leave but if he forces the issue, the club has an incredibly strong hand with a 5 year contract and a competition top 5 player in the mix. I can't see how there is a conversation with anyone other than Carlton based on information currently available but see how the dust settles over the next few weeks 

Maybe they should open up talks with PSG or Man City? That would get him more clicks.

Haarland would surely have transferable skills?

[Roost it far 8,104]

17 minutes ago, Norm Smith's Curse said:

My gut feeling is that he is probably right in that the club were too soft on some misbehaving players and the net result was the pending investigation.

My gut feeling is that he has also approached this the wrong way and is now forcing the Dees hand. 

Melbourne have in the past sometimes seemed risk adverse to trading. Petty is an example. He looked good, but he stated he wanted to go home. We could have got a decent trade for him. 

Time to finally really be ruthless for mine. 

I think you're going to find keeping Petty was sound business

[spirit of norm smith 16,167]

For the record 

- I hope Trac 💙❤️💙❤️stays. Really hope they sort out his issues and he sorts out his issues.  Life’s not perfect.  I am not always agreeing with my employers decisions or their work place decor 
- Trac signed a 7 year contract.  You have to think that’s a commitment.  Serious $$$ too.  Unless there’s breach of contract conditions by MFC, then he should fulfill his commitments

- MFC needs to stand firm. We cannot have contracts being torn up and players walking away 

TRAC - keep the faith 🙏🏽

but if it’s completely toxic and Trac is destroying wider team culture and values … then … what’s the trade price  (Trac is 28)

1. JEREMY CAMERON (out of contract - restricted free agent) 27yo

Cats got:  Cameron as well as two second-round selections

Giants got: Picks 13, 15, 20 and a future fourth rounder (Giants matched his free agency). 

2. LANCE FRANKLIN (out of contract) 26 yo

Hawks: got a first round draft selection as compensation (number 19) 

3. GARY ABLETT JNR (out of contract) 26yo

Cats received two first-round picks as compensation for losing Ablett to the expansion club. That was probably under weight for his ability   

 

[Little Richard 6,238]

11 minutes ago, biggestred said:

we should trade for maynard. then both sets of fans can boo him kings birthday.

The sight of B Maynard in red and blue would make me physically ill

[spirit of norm smith 16,167]

6 minutes ago, gregdemon said:

Buckley    said it best on SEN  this morning . Its not the Christian Petrecca Football club.    Melbourne can sit back and let others work.        come to us with a good deal or No deal.         We hold all the cards.      Good trade  or come back with tail between the legs and grow up   

Buckley 👏👏👏👏

[Gawndy the Great 9,011]

1 hour ago, binman said:

Maybe. Maybe not.

The result is the same.

On conners, if he is not responsible for the strategic backgrounding of morris why has he let this play out like it has?

Why hasn't he backgrounded another journo to at least tamp down the noise 'till after the GF?

I mean, he's tracc's manager after all. And if demonland is any guide, tracc's stocks are falling in terms of his reputation.

That's to say, whilst the initial reporting was favourable towards him (ultra pro unhappy with the 'direction' of a club the media loves to hammer), it's swinging the other way - for example the suggestion his teammates are jack of him.

If I was conners I'd be concerned the idea of tracc as an entitled, prima donna taking hold - Australians are allergic to that idea of stars elevating themselves above their team.

And leaving aside the response by fans, if that perception takes hold amongst players at say the pies or blues how keen will they be about a diva coming to their club (probably instantly the highest paid), with all the attendant palaver.

And how will the big stars at either club feel about having to share the spotlight with tracc? 

Good points, but everyone will be blinded by the performance uplift they would get. 
 

Nobody is knocking back what Trac would do for them in the ground just because he is up himself and has high ambitions.

[John Crow Batty 8,860]

I believe the club now is under pressure to get a deal done. Brayshaw has a long term contract but won’t play anymore. Oliver has a long term contract but his ability to honour it for the full term is uncertain. Petracca has a long term contract, wants out and appears to have caused a lot of bad blood within the club and lost his teammates aside from his current injury issues. The club might have to cut its losses. If we get McKay in a trade as many suggest it’s going to conflict with JVR’s development. They both will be playing for the same position. IMO the club should target midfielders and some picks for a trade. May not be the most ideal outcome but better than trying to keep a player who appears to have burned all his bridges with club. 

Edited August 27 by John Crow Batty