Since neither the Blues or the Pond Scum have a 2025 first round draft pick who else thinks Trac's prospects of moving just diminished significantly?

And that is before you think he has ahead another year of shared commitment, sacrifices and achievements to restore the bond with his Demon brothers. But really, with no first rounders on offer how could they deal?

Sorry but I don’t understand all the Trac love on here.

The bloke has clearly let himself go, doubling the amount of body fat from 3 to 6% 😂

It's great to see Christian back to health and training again. 

I'm not being cynical... but why has he gone to Europe for this? Isn't there elite facilities like the this here, at say the AIS in Canberra for example? Maybe he wants to get into a completely new head space? Different environment?

Again, not being cynical just genuinely curious.

1 minute ago, Pottsydee said:

It's great to see Christian back to health and training again. 

I'm not being cynical... but why has he gone to Europe for this? Isn't there elite facilities like the this here, at say the AIS in Canberra for example? Maybe he wants to get into a completely new head space? Different environment?

Again, not being cynical just genuinely curious.

IIRC It's a red bull training camp. I think he's sponsored by them, he's gone before as have other players.

3 minutes ago, Pottsydee said:

It's great to see Christian back to health and training again. 

I'm not being cynical... but why has he gone to Europe for this? Isn't there elite facilities like the this here, at say the AIS in Canberra for example? Maybe he wants to get into a completely new head space? Different environment?

Again, not being cynical just genuinely curious.

He’s a Red Bull Ambassador so has been heading there for the last few years. Let’s be honest Canberra or Austria? I know where I’m going! I was hoping Clarry would be joining him.

Edited October 15, 2024Oct 15 by Roost it far

5 minutes ago, Pottsydee said:

It's great to see Christian back to health and training again. 

I'm not being cynical... but why has he gone to Europe for this? Isn't there elite facilities like the this here, at say the AIS in Canberra for example? Maybe he wants to get into a completely new head space? Different environment?

Again, not being cynical just genuinely curious.

Salzburg is a very interesting and picturesque place. It’s not that warm this time of year though, so unlike Christian I do recommend taking a shirt.

I would have thought the family might be just over the hills.

Now that it's all settling down, I wonder will some of us come to to the view that Petracca is deserving of enormous respect and thanks.  Disruptive, yes - but showing the way; doing what needed to be done. What MFC needed.  Come the start of next season, we will find out maybe 

In the first couple of hundred years of Christianity there was a debate about governance and purpose - some "authorities" were appointed by the community's recognised leaders, and some other leaders were recognised as having been gifted by God and therefore  as having the right to leadership.  Institutional as against charismatic leadership.  In time the institutional won, and the rest is history...

Petracca has charismatic gifts.  He has spoken about the state he was in as he walked back to the middle after his dribbler goal in the Grand Final.  We all have the look on his face in that moment etched into our memories.  The whatever-it-was in the split second that made him go for the dribbler - it rolled across the line at the exact centre mark of the goal line.  I was there - in context of the match this was pure inspiration, something totally off the show. Pure instinct - and so imaginatively powerful.  Way beyond the six points it got us.

Do I remember hearing that with a minute to go in the third, the story was "shut it down" and Clarry and Petracca said "nah - go for it!" ?  At the time, sitting in the stands, there was a feeling like in Greek tragedy of something huge and inevitable taking hold - and Petracca rose with it - even, was a huge part of it being lifted into view.  He certainly was then and may be regularly tuned in and operating above the institutional default.  Certainly he's impatient for greatness, and I think you could fairly say he's connected to purpose more so than the pragmatic norms-driven solid citizens. 

There's a place for the rules-breaker.  They can smash everything, I know,  but they can also release the shackles that lets better through.  

Post-Maynard and the test-case that so publicly displayed the fundamental dishonesty in the AFL's money-driven double-standards, the shake-up of the Melbourne Footy Club resulting from the public dissatisfaction of Petracca - this is a genuinely interesting drama way beyond the reach of the corrupt AFL. Potentially, it could launch the club back into contention with a break-out re-stating of priorities.  If it does, our gratitude to Petracca will be inestimable.  Like it was in that best of all days in Perth.

TIME TO Suspend disbelief, I reckon - faith may be going to get its reward.  The hard work Petracca is putting in looks pretty good to me.  He looks exactly like he did in Perth - driven, with no limits holding him.  So I'm genuinely interested to see what he's got in 2025.  There's a big story here.

 

Was bearish start 24 and am Bullish 25 (in much the same way I was bullish start 21 - I had $ on us at 26-1)

Going long premiership and CP Brownlow

 

11 hours ago, Pottsydee said:

It's great to see Christian back to health and training again. 

I'm not being cynical... but why has he gone to Europe for this? Isn't there elite facilities like the this here, at say the AIS in Canberra for example? Maybe he wants to get into a completely new head space? Different environment?

Again, not being cynical just genuinely curious.

He's done it for the last 4 year.  He does it because there he has access to a much level of high performance personnel and facilties.  He does it because he's sponsored by Red Bull.  If it means he has a superior fitness than his opponents, who would anyone have an issue with it?

1 hour ago, robbiefrom13 said:

Now that it's all settling down, I wonder will some of us come to to the view that Petracca is deserving of enormous respect and thanks.  Disruptive, yes - but showing the way; doing what needed to be done. What MFC needed.  Come the start of next season, we will find out maybe 

In the first couple of hundred years of Christianity there was a debate about governance and purpose - some "authorities" were appointed by the community's recognised leaders, and some other leaders were recognised as having been gifted by God and therefore  as having the right to leadership.  Institutional as against charismatic leadership.  In time the institutional won, and the rest is history...

Petracca has charismatic gifts.  He has spoken about the state he was in as he walked back to the middle after his dribbler goal in the Grand Final.  We all have the look on his face in that moment etched into our memories.  The whatever-it-was in the split second that made him go for the dribbler - it rolled across the line at the exact centre mark of the goal line.  I was there - in context of the match this was pure inspiration, something totally off the show. Pure instinct - and so imaginatively powerful.  Way beyond the six points it got us.

Do I remember hearing that with a minute to go in the third, the story was "shut it down" and Clarry and Petracca said "nah - go for it!" ?  At the time, sitting in the stands, there was a feeling like in Greek tragedy of something huge and inevitable taking hold - and Petracca rose with it - even, was a huge part of it being lifted into view.  He certainly was then and may be regularly tuned in and operating above the institutional default.  Certainly he's impatient for greatness, and I think you could fairly say he's connected to purpose more so than the pragmatic norms-driven solid citizens. 

There's a place for the rules-breaker.  They can smash everything, I know,  but they can also release the shackles that lets better through.  

Post-Maynard and the test-case that so publicly displayed the fundamental dishonesty in the AFL's money-driven double-standards, the shake-up of the Melbourne Footy Club resulting from the public dissatisfaction of Petracca - this is a genuinely interesting drama way beyond the reach of the corrupt AFL. Potentially, it could launch the club back into contention with a break-out re-stating of priorities.  If it does, our gratitude to Petracca will be inestimable.  Like it was in that best of all days in Perth.

TIME TO Suspend disbelief, I reckon - faith may be going to get its reward.  The hard work Petracca is putting in looks pretty good to me.  He looks exactly like he did in Perth - driven, with no limits holding him.  So I'm genuinely interested to see what he's got in 2025.  There's a big story here.

 

Thanks robbiefrom13 that was a great read, you captured the very essence of Christian Petracca, well written we should revisit this post at the end of 2025. 👏👏

16 hours ago, Demon Disciple said:

Sorry but I don’t understand all the Trac love on here.

The bloke has clearly let himself go, doubling the amount of body fat from 3 to 6% 😂

Yeah weak as...no way could I double my body fat.

22 minutes ago, Fritta and Turner said:

Yeah weak as...no way could I double my body fat.

Is that because 2 x 60 is >100? 🙄

 

Anyone with a subscription able to post the main points?

3 hours ago, roy11 said:

 

Anyone with a subscription able to post the main points?

It's largely available in an unlocked article on The Age: AFL 2024: Melbourne Demons would not have returned Christian Petracca to field after King’s Birthday Clash

"Richardson said there were lessons for the competition when asked about the club’s response to the incident at the Demons’ annual general meeting on Tuesday night.

“The athlete has a fair bit of say in what happens there. I reckon that will be something that probably will get looked at, not just from our footy club but in the AFL going forward … they are just competitive beasts who want to get out and play and that carries a lot of weight. How much weight should that carry?” Richardson said.

“My understanding is that incident will continue to get investigated … we will want to get better as an industry, not just from our football club...

“It was a really difficult situation for our medical team. It has basically never happened before. He then went to the next hospital and they didn’t diagnose it properly. So that gives you an understanding of how difficult it was...

“The doctors, with the evidence they had at the time, did the right thing. In hindsight, would we do something different if we knew the extent of the injury? Of course, he would not have gone back out on the ground,” Richardson said.

“We will always put player safety first from a coaching perspective … we just get out of the way. That’s the doctor’s call.”

And then Goodwin:

Coach Simon Goodwin said he had been “blown away” by how Petracca had returned to the club. “He is really connected with his teammates and is driving really high-quality training sessions,” he said.

28 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

It's largely available in an unlocked article on The Age: AFL 2024: Melbourne Demons would not have returned Christian Petracca to field after King’s Birthday Clash

"Richardson said there were lessons for the competition when asked about the club’s response to the incident at the Demons’ annual general meeting on Tuesday night.

“The athlete has a fair bit of say in what happens there. I reckon that will be something that probably will get looked at, not just from our footy club but in the AFL going forward … they are just competitive beasts who want to get out and play and that carries a lot of weight. How much weight should that carry?” Richardson said.

“My understanding is that incident will continue to get investigated … we will want to get better as an industry, not just from our football club...

“It was a really difficult situation for our medical team. It has basically never happened before. He then went to the next hospital and they didn’t diagnose it properly. So that gives you an understanding of how difficult it was...

“The doctors, with the evidence they had at the time, did the right thing. In hindsight, would we do something different if we knew the extent of the injury? Of course, he would not have gone back out on the ground,” Richardson said.

“We will always put player safety first from a coaching perspective … we just get out of the way. That’s the doctor’s call.”

And then Goodwin:

Coach Simon Goodwin said he had been “blown away” by how Petracca had returned to the club. “He is really connected with his teammates and is driving really high-quality training sessions,” he said.

It's not that long ago that footballers used to have too much say about returning to the ground after being concussed. Taking the decision away from players after receiving abdominal injuries seems like the next logical step to protect players from themselves.

13 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

It's not that long ago that footballers used to have too much say about returning to the ground after being concussed. Taking the decision away from players after receiving abdominal injuries seems like the next logical step to protect players from themselves.

Yes, sure, but this was really a unique injury.  Not everyone with a knee to the ribs needs to taken to hospital stat.  Remember how long it took at Epworth for this to be recognized too. Hopefully they will learn that a non contrast CT is not enough in a trauma situation.  I heard from an impeccable source that it took a very astute Demon fan surgeon to get things properly investigated and transferred 
That said I am sure that the club and the AFL has had some “learnings”.

https://menshealth.com.au/how-christian-petracca-is-training-for-his-comeback-season/

A non-AFL piece on Tracc's training regime with quite a few Samsung endorsements, or should it be a Samsung advert with a side article on Tracc?

Edited December 24, 2024Dec 24 by DemonicFinalFantasy

On 24/12/2024 at 22:24, DemonicFinalFantasy said:

https://menshealth.com.au/how-christian-petracca-is-training-for-his-comeback-season/

A non-AFL piece on Tracc's training regime with quite a few Samsung endorsements, or should it be a Samsung advert with a side article on Tracc?

I’ve just been for a drive in my Toyota, listening to the news on my Toyota radio when all of a sudden my phone rang which I answered on my Toyota Bluetooth. Thankfully it was just my mechanic reminding me I have a Toyota service tomorrow on my Toyota. 

On 18/12/2024 at 14:07, titan_uranus said:

My understanding is that incident will continue to get investigated … we will want to get better as an industry, not just from our football club...

If only they'd seriously investigate Darcy Moore's role in it too.

Understand that sometimes incidents/accidents will occur and/or are technically within the rules, but when huge blokes like more through their whole body weight at other players knee first, what do we expect the outcomes to be?  I guess the words duty of care and Collingwood players are a but of an oxymoron at best within the AFL.

7 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

If only they'd seriously investigate Darcy Moore's role in it too.

Understand that sometimes incidents/accidents will occur and/or are technically within the rules, but when huge blokes like more through their whole body weight at other players knee first, what do we expect the outcomes to be?  I guess the words duty of care and Collingwood players are a but of an oxymoron at best within the AFL.

I am as one eyed as the next person but Darcy Moore did absolutely nothing wrong.  If you are trying to take this out of the game, then no players can fly for marks 

3 hours ago, Demons11 said:

I am as one eyed as the next person but Darcy Moore did absolutely nothing wrong.  If you are trying to take this out of the game, then no players can fly for marks 

I’m more concerned about his actions that cost us kozzy for the start of the year. Went to ground and put his head hip high. If koz went only ball instead of going for contact he would have been taken below the knees. I can see why he’s collingwoods captain. When his career ends I’ll talk about him in a different way. But as it stands right now he’s a [censored] of the highest order. 

I think they need to penalise the guy who lifts his knee and doesn’t mark it or something like that. Not quite sure how it works. Had Petracca been on the ground scrambling for the ball and Moore came in with his knee it would be a free kick so the same should apply in the pack situation???

20 hours ago, The end is nigh said:

I’m more concerned about his actions that cost us kozzy for the start of the year. Went to ground and put his head hip high. If koz went only ball instead of going for contact he would have been taken below the knees. I can see why he’s collingwoods captain. When his career ends I’ll talk about him in a different way. But as it stands right now he’s a [censored] of the highest order. 

I still can’t see how Kozzie got weeks, for a contest, that at worst, would have been a bump to a 200cm player’s stomach, until the very last split second, when the taller player went to ground, at a time when the smaller player couldn’t pull out of the contest.

I think it was a pathetic decision and when contrasted with the Maynard bump on Gus, knocking him out early in a final and the resultant lack of any penalty is just bewildering, other than the fact that the Tribunal Chairman and MRO are admitted Pies supporters. Neither of them should have officiated in either case.

On 26/12/2024 at 13:42, Demons11 said:

I am as one eyed as the next person but Darcy Moore did absolutely nothing wrong.  If you are trying to take this out of the game, then no players can fly for marks 

That's rubbish.  The players that can actually get elevation to take screamers do so because they get most of there momentum going up and not forward into the players back.  If you can't do that, don't go for the mark in that way and don't raise your knees into their back.  What Moore did was like an unrealistic attempt with neglect for the players welfare.  Similarly poorly executed attempts like Chol on May should be looked at.  Again massive knee raise.  From memory it was Chol or someone similar that almost took out someone's head/kneck in the next week.  Can't have the head being sacrosanct whe  you bump, but then have it being OK to make full contact with a knee during a controlled action.

People also say that Maynard was within the rules and do you want to take out players committing to the contest.  I think it's all about players playing with an extent more control and being aware that they can't just be human wrecking balls out on the field, but that that still leaves plenty of room to play the game it should be played.

It use to be more of the 6' and less athletic types that could actually jump they flew for this sort of mark and now they have given licence to every man and his dog to go for them.  Similarly, I don't think players would have got away with jumping straight into someone's back like Chol and Moore way back when, because there would have been an even-upper.

Edited December 27, 2024Dec 27 by Rodney (Balls) Grinter