4 minutes ago, JTR said:

Christian Petracca airs shock new revelation in rare interview amid AFL trade rumours

Petracca has remained silent for several weeks but now returns to the spotlight with the release of a podcast recorded on August 9 — just days before the first reports that he was disgruntled and could consider requesting a trade

(Apologies if a re-post. Far too many pages to catch up on)

 

If we decide to trade him (big if as I’m still not convinced), we must throw everything at LDU next year with his free agency. Rumours that he is looking hard at the saints offer. We would come out on top if we could pull that off.

Just now, Demonland said:

 

Do you mean we have to listen to Weightman to get to the good stuff 😢

12 minutes ago, 58er said:

Are you serious. Players don’t determine trades as the Club has a short list for its trade and draft selections at each seasons end. 

Leaving it up to leaving players who couldn’t care who is traded in would be a disaster. 

Please don’t entertain any thoughts of joining our footy dept any time soon or in fact NEVER. 

Are you that silly that you didn't realise I was being sarcastic? Do you shave yet? 

1 hour 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. 

Langdon for mine. Lever responsible for the loss to Carlton in the final last year. Should have maintained possession with under 2 min to go.

Sammy Edmund this morning.

Christian Petracca

“These are the facts as we know it. He wants to leave Melbourne. He wants to play for another club. He wants it to be a big Victorian club with all the resources that sit behind that,” Edmund said.

“Over the weekend and into yesterday he made it clear to the Demons that he wants to be traded with the five years remaining on that contract worth $1 million per season.

“Melbourne remain absolutely resolute publicly and privately that he will not be traded under any circumstances.

“I can tell you Melbourne aren’t even completely clear as to what his issues are, which is incredible.

“Depending on who Petracca talks to, it’s different. If he talks to the players, his issue is with the leadership of the club and when he talks to the leadership, his issue is with the players and the off-field stuff.

“The brand side of things has always been very important to him and then there’s even some who wonder whether his relationship with Ben Simmons on the other side of the planet had something to do with it all.

“The club is so disappointed and so bemused by it all. They’re completely perplexed. They thought it would simmer down, but it’s now abundantly clear that that’s not the case.

“Some relationships with teammates are going to need repairing if he is to remain there. There’s some real frustration there.”

6 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Fixed *

* That was rough for me too. 🤮

LOL.

Telling the wife we can skip the Korean BBQ this year and take me to Ringwood on Sunday instead 😁

There better be no talk about growing up supporting the Pies nonsense, stay on safe ground and talk about Nonna's cooking with Silvagni, Cincotta, Fantasia & Cerra 😁

2 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

 

“I can tell you Melbourne aren’t even completely clear as to what his issues are, which is incredible.

 

Faaark 

Edited August 27, 2024Aug 27 by layzie

2 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Sammy Edmund this morning.

Christian Petracca

“These are the facts as we know it. He wants to leave Melbourne. He wants to play for another club. He wants it to be a big Victorian club with all the resources that sit behind that,” Edmund said.

“Over the weekend and into yesterday he made it clear to the Demons that he wants to be traded with the five years remaining on that contract worth $1 million per season.

“Melbourne remain absolutely resolute publicly and privately that he will not be traded under any circumstances.

“I can tell you Melbourne aren’t even completely clear as to what his issues are, which is incredible.

“Depending on who Petracca talks to, it’s different. If he talks to the players, his issue is with the leadership of the club and when he talks to the leadership, his issue is with the players and the off-field stuff.

“The brand side of things has always been very important to him and then there’s even some who wonder whether his relationship with Ben Simmons on the other side of the planet had something to do with it all.

“The club is so disappointed and so bemused by it all. They’re completely perplexed. They thought it would simmer down, but it’s now abundantly clear that that’s not the case.

“Some relationships with teammates are going to need repairing if he is to remain there. There’s some real frustration there.”

This is astounding. If remotely true it sounds like he’s basically lost the plot

13 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

AFL 2024: Melbourne Demons’ Christian Petracca relives life-threatening injury as talk of trade request escalates (theage.com.au)

“It’s been really, really tough. Probably the most traumatic thing I’ve experienced in my life. The trauma of everything … it’s actually not necessarily the incident of it, it’s the aftermath of it. The surgery in general was a really traumatic experience: being awake for it, internal bleeding, wasn’t able to be put to sleep under anaesthetic. I can think of every single thing happening at that time,” Petracca said on the Howie Games podcast.

“This must have been 3am in the morning. I didn’t know at the time; I was drugged up. Bella (Petracca’s partner) came to the ICU the next day and basically said that at three in the morning … we got the number off the surgeon because he called to say you might not make it, basically. He’s in critical condition.”

Asked if there were fears he might not survive the operation, Petracca replied: “Yeah, because there was internal bleeding and everything. So (I was) in serious and critical condition. For me, it was more that, that hit home rather than the actual injury itself. I’ll be fine physically, and I’ll be able to train and get back to playing and everything. It’s just more that ... the people around you feel it more than you,” Petracca said.

“Even since then, the last six, seven weeks have been really tough on both of us. She’s been amazing for me since I first met her but just through this experience. I’ve got insomnia I feel like, to be honest, because of stuff like that. I can’t sleep because of stuff like that … I’m having to see a trauma psych to deal with what’s going on.”

Petracca said there was “a lot of stuff” he was dealing with.

“The self-doubt, the trauma, and the stress of everything. I’ve been in-and-out of hospital three or four times through emergency,” he said.

Think what you want about Trac and what he's currently doing, but be in no doubt: he has been through a level of trauma that most of us (thankfully) cannot comprehend.

Yeah it’s tough, I have been through two similar situations. Near death experiences and living in constant pain is horrible. I don’t wish them on anyone. Now usually it’s out of my mind but at times it’s tempting  to pull out the sympathy card when it suits.

1 minute ago, layzie said:

Faaark 

It sounds like the issues are just excuses, and his injury is being seen by those closest to him as a golden ticket into a bigger club.

Read the extract from the podcast, where he talks about footy just being footy, and the social media stuff.

The fact that he's telling different people different reasons, and even the people I speak to about this have no definite idea what the core of his issue is, tells me that this is all a way to cash in while he can.

If his issues were shared by the rest of the playing group, do you think there would be such angst towards him?

4 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Sammy Edmund this morning.

Christian Petracca

“These are the facts as we know it. He wants to leave Melbourne. He wants to play for another club. He wants it to be a big Victorian club with all the resources that sit behind that,” Edmund said.

“Over the weekend and into yesterday he made it clear to the Demons that he wants to be traded with the five years remaining on that contract worth $1 million per season.

“Melbourne remain absolutely resolute publicly and privately that he will not be traded under any circumstances.

“I can tell you Melbourne aren’t even completely clear as to what his issues are, which is incredible.

“Depending on who Petracca talks to, it’s different. If he talks to the players, his issue is with the leadership of the club and when he talks to the leadership, his issue is with the players and the off-field stuff.

“The brand side of things has always been very important to him and then there’s even some who wonder whether his relationship with Ben Simmons on the other side of the planet had something to do with it all.

“The club is so disappointed and so bemused by it all. They’re completely perplexed. They thought it would simmer down, but it’s now abundantly clear that that’s not the case.

“Some relationships with teammates are going to need repairing if he is to remain there. There’s some real frustration there.”

Yes i heard this.

The Club are still unaware of what all the issues are….

it’s a mess, but the Club must stand firm…

Time is still in our favour to sort this out

"Depending on who Petracca talks to, it’s different. If he talks to the players, his issue is with the leadership of the club and when he talks to the leadership, his issue is with the players and the off-field stuff."

If true, he is hardly in the right frame of mind to make significant decisions about his future!

I find it interesting that Trac would specifically want Roffey gone - according to the caller?

How much interaction would he actually have with her?

Totally get that supporters want a new president/ceo/board for a million different reasons, this just seems very pointed.

Also, whoever is advising him thinking these tiny media snips will help are clearly not doing so in his best interests

Edited August 27, 2024Aug 27 by BW511

3 hours 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? 

Exactly. And how would the new team mates feel seeing one or two of their team mates jettisoned to make room for the diva.

I think they've pushed the "Christian is Unhappy" card too far now and it's starting to go sour.

Good on the club for just staying firm for the moment.

9 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Sammy Edmund this morning.

Christian Petracca

“These are the facts as we know it. He wants to leave Melbourne. He wants to play for another club. He wants it to be a big Victorian club with all the resources that sit behind that,” Edmund said.

“Over the weekend and into yesterday he made it clear to the Demons that he wants to be traded with the five years remaining on that contract worth $1 million per season.

“Melbourne remain absolutely resolute publicly and privately that he will not be traded under any circumstances.

“I can tell you Melbourne aren’t even completely clear as to what his issues are, which is incredible.

“Depending on who Petracca talks to, it’s different. If he talks to the players, his issue is with the leadership of the club and when he talks to the leadership, his issue is with the players and the off-field stuff.

“The brand side of things has always been very important to him and then there’s even some who wonder whether his relationship with Ben Simmons on the other side of the planet had something to do with it all.

“The club is so disappointed and so bemused by it all. They’re completely perplexed. They thought it would simmer down, but it’s now abundantly clear that that’s not the case.

“Some relationships with teammates are going to need repairing if he is to remain there. There’s some real frustration there.”

You have to laugh. 

This is more James Harden than Simmons. Hopefully we go full Daryl Morey and make him sit until we get adequetly compensated.  

7 minutes ago, Undeeterred said:

This is astounding. If remotely true it sounds like he’s basically lost the plot

Trauma can have an astounding effect on people in so many different ways. 

1 minute ago, BW511 said:

I find it interesting that Trac would specifically want Roffey gone - according to the caller?

How much interaction would he actually have with her?

Totally get that supporters want a new president/ceo/board for a million different reasons, this just seems very pointed.

Also, whoever is advising him thinking these tiny media snips will help are clearly not doing so in his best interests

the only possible reason is the home base.

I think he really wants to leave for brand purposes and perhaps because he doesn't have faith in the list to win another flag. the rest is just post hoc rationalisations

12 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Sammy Edmund this morning.

Christian Petracca

“These are the facts as we know it. He wants to leave Melbourne. He wants to play for another club. He wants it to be a big Victorian club with all the resources that sit behind that,” Edmund said.

“Over the weekend and into yesterday he made it clear to the Demons that he wants to be traded with the five years remaining on that contract worth $1 million per season.

“Melbourne remain absolutely resolute publicly and privately that he will not be traded under any circumstances.

“I can tell you Melbourne aren’t even completely clear as to what his issues are, which is incredible.

“Depending on who Petracca talks to, it’s different. If he talks to the players, his issue is with the leadership of the club and when he talks to the leadership, his issue is with the players and the off-field stuff.

“The brand side of things has always been very important to him and then there’s even some who wonder whether his relationship with Ben Simmons on the other side of the planet had something to do with it all.

“The club is so disappointed and so bemused by it all. They’re completely perplexed. They thought it would simmer down, but it’s now abundantly clear that that’s not the case.

“Some relationships with teammates are going to need repairing if he is to remain there. There’s some real frustration there.”

The afl will be loving the trac story as will media.

Now we have a decent amount of material to fill in the God awful pre finals fortnight.

As it appears he is 100% wanting out of the club and rapidly burning all his bridges, I suspect there is at least one potential big name suitor in his ear promising him something and advising him on a strategy to seize his services from us at minimal cost.

Edited August 27, 2024Aug 27 by John Crow Batty

36 minutes ago, loges said:

People on here that are making the point that Morris was right to justify whatever is laughable it's what is going on in the background that is the issue, some people can't see through the smoke 

6 minutes ago, BW511 said:

I find it interesting that Trac would specifically want Roffey gone - according to the caller?

How much interaction would he actually have with her?

Totally get that supporters want a new president/ceo/board for a million different reasons, this just seems very pointed.

Also, whoever is advising him thinking these tiny media snips will help are clearly not doing so in his best interests

It was obviously BS. The guy has read about Trac meeting with Neale, and the rest of this stuff, and decided tk big note himself on radio. And once asked if he was close to Trac, he couldn't exactly say no, could he?

What better way to build the brand...or at least get heaps and heaps of followers, the brand will be in the toilet though.

8 minutes ago, Dodos Demons said:

"Depending on who Petracca talks to, it’s different. If he talks to the players, his issue is with the leadership of the club and when he talks to the leadership, his issue is with the players and the off-field stuff."

If true, he is hardly in the right frame of mind to make significant decisions about his future!

Trac has always seemed to need to be mates with everyone (hence all the buddying up with oppo players).

Seems like he doesn't like have tough conversations so will blame whoever isn't in the room. Or isn't happy to divulge the real reason he wants our, because he knows it looks bad for him.

7 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Yes i heard this.

The Club are still unaware of what all the issues are….

it’s a mess, but the Club must stand firm…

Time is still in our favour to sort this out

Correct. For once club has whip hand as opposed to hogan and Jackson sagas.

Everyone else can whistle dixi till the best solution appears for us. 

Funny that all of our list has re signed except for any who can be excused.

I'll back Max every day over trac