Christian Petracca

[Jaded No More 68,880]

I wonder if the players' frustration with Trac going to Noosa, is not that he went there to recover, but that while he was away from the club he continued to be annoyed at the standards on display, despite not being inside the 4 walls.

It's one thing to demand better when you are leading by example, another when you are removed from the situation.
I think Gawn would be entitled to be annoyed if his standards are being questioned, when he's also battling injuries and playing as well as he possibly can, or take it personally as an attack on his captaincy. 

I am not saying it's right or wrong, I am just trying to see it from both points of view.

Either way, it doesn't seem like anything that can't be resolved with a chat and a good pre-season. 

If standards are slipping, and I have no doubt they are, then the only way to fix it, is to be honest and admit that changes need to be made.

 

[Jaded No More 68,880]

4 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

 

Sadly, this episode me of the player discontent with Viney when he was captain because he expected high standards.  He paid the price by being demoted.

I think it's very harsh to suggest that Gawn doesn't demand high standards, considering the player he is and that he led us to a flag. 

I think Gawn just goes about demanding standards in a manner that appeals to more players than Viney did.

[Lucifers Hero 39,721]

1 minute ago, Jaded No More said:

I think it's very harsh to suggest that Gawn doesn't demand high standards, considering the player he is and that he led us to a flag. 

I think Gawn just goes about demanding standards in a manner that appeals to more players than Viney did.

You completely misinterpreted what I said.  I made no such implication let alone suggestion.

 

[Gawndy the Great 9,011]

10 minutes ago, demoncat said:

I agree that Trac had every right to spend time away however he pleased - I can’t imagine the trauma he went through at the time of the injury and the difficulties he’s faced since 

He’s also got every right to call out poor standards - he’s just about the most professional athlete in the AFL when it comes to training standards and I imagine it would frustrate him if his teammates weren’t holding up their end of the bargain when it came to their professionalism 

Having said that, the sense I got from the article is that both before and after his injury, Trac has been making his frustrations known not just internally, but to others across the industry (or at least has contributed to the industry becoming aware of his frustrations) 

Pete Ryan also wrote about him being highly emotional and making decisions that have ‘raised eyebrows’

Don’t get me wrong - I love Trac and everything he has done for the club, but between this article and Sam Landsberger’s report that the ANB news leaked from within the playing group, it doesn’t take much to conclude that there’s a chance that Trac has been at least somewhat involved in all this information being aired publicly

Pls be nice 🫣

I dont think your far off the mark. We will never know 100% and so there will be those on here that will come after you, but it does appear that the main instigator of all of this has been Trac or those around Trac. I do understand his motivations but there are other ways to do this than the limelight. Its also possible that those around him have influenced his actions heavily of which i think he will eventually realise that it wasn't the right thing to do. 

He is contracted to do at least one more AFL 360 interview and has regular media gigs so his absence/presence will say a lot in the next few weeks. 

[dazzledavey36 54,816]

21 minutes ago, demoncat said:

I agree that Trac had every right to spend time away however he pleased - I can’t imagine the trauma he went through at the time of the injury and the difficulties he’s faced since 

He’s also got every right to call out poor standards - he’s just about the most professional athlete in the AFL when it comes to training standards and I imagine it would frustrate him if his teammates weren’t holding up their end of the bargain when it came to their professionalism 

Having said that, the sense I got from the article is that both before and after his injury, Trac has been making his frustrations known not just internally, but to others across the industry (or at least has contributed to the industry becoming aware of his frustrations) 

Pete Ryan also wrote about him being highly emotional and making decisions that have ‘raised eyebrows’

Don’t get me wrong - I love Trac and everything he has done for the club, but between this article and Sam Landsberger’s report that the ANB news leaked from within the playing group, it doesn’t take much to conclude that there’s a chance that Trac has been at least somewhat involved in all this information being aired publicly

Pls be nice 🫣

Ageee 100%

As Jordan Lewis said, good clubs keeps this in house without the leaks etc.

From the article 

The 28-year-old has not been able to keep his sense of dissatisfaction with the club to himself, with teammates, opposition players and industry figures increasingly aware of his feelings as he recuperated from the life-altering injury suffered on King’s Birthday.

It's damning and incredibly disappointing to read that Petracca is airing and venting his frustrations about the footy club to opposition players and industry key figures.

I get he's an emotional person but this is very poor look.

[chookrat 4,247]

1 hour ago, The heart beats true said:

Peter Ryan’s article in today’s Age mentions 2 things (verified by 2 separate sources) that help articulate what’s going on.

1. Christian is frustrated by player standards and professionalism, and

2. Players are frustrated that as a senior leader at the club, who has been openly frustrated at them, Christian was in Noosa and not at the club.

If that’s the issue it’s really not difficult to see that once Christian is back driving standards a lot of this simply goes away.

To speculate further on us speculating about the journos speculation it would make sense that Oliver's challenges which come to a head late last season have had some impact on some sections of the playing group and how they approached the 2024 season. I'm hopeful a longer break without games in September will help the playing list attack the 2025 preseason and that we will see the best version of Oliver - as good as his footy has been over the years I think he has another level.

[The heart beats true 18,123]

7 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

I wonder if the players' frustration with Trac going to Noosa, is not that he went there to recover, but that while he was away from the club he continued to be annoyed at the standards on display, despite not being inside the 4 walls.

It's one thing to demand better when you are leading by example, another when you are removed from the situation.
I think Gawn would be entitled to be annoyed if his standards are being questioned, when he's also battling injuries and playing as well as he possibly can, or take it personally as an attack on his captaincy. 

I am not saying it's right or wrong, I am just trying to see it from both points of view.

Either way, it doesn't seem like anything that can't be resolved with a chat and a good pre-season. 

If standards are slipping, and I have no doubt they are, then the only way to fix it, is to be honest and admit that changes need to be made.

 

I totally agree with this. It’s seems like fault can be attributed everywhere, but also that when everyone gets on with their jobs a lot of the issues can solve themselves.

I do think it’s very unnecessary for it to play out publicly, just as I did when the family was unhappy. You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to look at where the information could be coming from.

[Jaded No More 68,880]

7 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

You completely misinterpreted what I said.  I made no such implication let alone suggestion.

 

My apologies, you suggested that Viney was demoted because he demanded high standards. That suggested to me that Gawn was then made captain because he didn't have the same demands. 

Viney is still VC and has been for many many years, probably because he demands high standards.

I don't think Viney was demoted because of what he was demanding, but because of how he was demanding it. That's just my take, but of course I wouldn't know for sure.

[praha 11,240]

Maybe it's just me but after reading the Peter Ryan article, it honestly seems to me like we have a classic case of too many high performers clashing heads. I've managed teams of 20+ people over more than a decade, if there is one constant it's that your best performers are also often your most disengaged and disillusioned, especially where there is internal clash with leadership and management styles. I learnt a lot during those moments and discovered that you either need to give those people an outlet to flay their arms about, or you ultimately need to help them move on. Wrapping their arms up and trying to silence them is the worst thing you can do. There is a really good example of this philosophy in Phil Jackson's book, he also touches on it in The Last Dance documentary, particularly in dealing with Michael Jordon's leadership style and Dennis Roman's *ahem* interests. 

There seems to be some conflict there between the top 10-20% of players and leaders, this is going to be a big test for Gawn and Viney, and certainly Goodwin.

[Deez21 253]

The irony that Trac's little cry about the direction of the football side has meant now that one of our key trade targets to improve doesn't want to come.

I'm not sure players ever think about these things but this is the damage they have talking to the media about football matters.

Players have one job, and list management and choosing the coaches isn't it.

[roy11 3,847]

Could be worse, i remember in 2005 when then club captain of Manchester United went on a infamous rant on the club's TV channel following a loss.  

The club had the video "deleted" but he went on quite the rant

• Criticized the keeper
• Called a few players lazy and said they didn't know their roles
• called out a player for thinking he's a superstar cos he played a good 20 minutes against Tottenham
• Said young players think they've made it but they havent
• criticized older players for not leading standards

He didn't play for the club again but he was right with most of it aha.

Roy, had very high standards and if you weren't matching them you'd know about it. He walked out of the Rep. Ireland WC squad just before the 2002 WC over preparations (diet and conditioning), strategy and the manager's competence. Gave a 10-15 minute blast of the manager too if you are to believe what is said.

[JTR 2,846]

1 hour ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

If that’s the actual issue that really could have been sorted behind closed doors….

Also, if Trac was unhappy with the gameplan, which has been reported but I don’t know if I believe it, then he should have a think about last years finals. That game plan ultimately should’ve won us both games but the players couldn’t execute, himself included. I definitely want us to play with a bit more freedom, but the game plan wasn’t the issue, it was our execution and that’s on the players.

I think this would be the issue, if anything.

You could see in real time how frustrated he was with the way everything was unravelling during the first Fremantle game.

That was only one week before Kings Birthday.

[Rednblueriseing 824]

Why hasn't Trac come out with a statement? It's already taken to long, ether he wants to leave or not the longer the silence the more you allow the media o make up stories 

[DistrACTION Jackson 8,712]

Just now, JTR said:

I think this would be the issue, if anything.

You could see in real time how frustrated he was with the way everything was unravelling during the first Fremantle game.

That was only one week before Kings Birthday.

That's fine. But you're a leader of the club and being a leader means digging in and working on improving it, not airing grievances through the media (assuming it was him specifically).

This is all hearsay at the moment anyway, but he has been one of the main culprits for poor execution. He kicked a total of 28.34 last year!

[Kick_It_To_Pickett 3,292]

1 minute ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

That's fine. But you're a leader of the club and being a leader means digging in and working on improving it, not airing grievances through the media (assuming it was him specifically).

This is all hearsay at the moment anyway, but he has been one of the main culprits for poor execution. He kicked a total of 28.34 last year!

Finally someone mentions it! It’s all well and good to be frustrated, but we as supporters have been incredibly frustrated by Tracc’s inability to execute when kicking at goal. Has been his Achilles heal since day 1 and has only marginally improved. 

[mandeelorian 211]

I would be devastated if I heard that any player was happy with the way the club is tracking at the moment but I'm equally devastated to have that disappointment being played out in the media.

Leaders of the club including players, coaches and admin need to sort this out behind closed doors.

I would love Trac to come out and put this to bed. That he hasn't speaks volumes and perhaps he has played his last game for us. 5 year contract or not I can't see us holding him to that if he truly wants to leave.

Also can't see us being fairly compensated for it in any trade.

 

[John Crow Batty 8,863]

6 minutes ago, Rednblueriseing said:

Why hasn't Trac come out with a statement? It's already taken to long, ether he wants to leave or not the longer the silence the more you allow the media o make up stories 

Yeah, his silence is deafening. I am sure there are behind the scenes talks going on with Trac and the club and Trac and other clubs. Likely kind of fence straddling ATM. If other clubs are interested they will be looking deeply into his current injury issues before they show any serious interest. 

[JTR 2,846]

15 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

That's fine. But you're a leader of the club and being a leader means digging in and working on improving it, not airing grievances through the media (assuming it was him specifically).

This is all hearsay at the moment anyway, but he has been one of the main culprits for poor execution. He kicked a total of 28.34 last year!

I wasn't arguing that point.

I was trying to agree with you that any issue he may have with the game plan would probably be centered around the way it was being executed, rather than the game plan itself.

Finals last year, first half of Carlton game, West Coast the week after and then the complete capitulation vs Freo, the week before Collingwood.

Edited August 15 by JTR
spelling

[Grr-owl 1,219]

22 hours ago, Norm Smith's Curse said:

 

Yeah its very easy to preach all that from outside, but Trac is a generational talent of the like we have not had for decades prior. If you asked the average supporter who they would choose to stay at the club v Tracc I think there would be few or anyone we would choose over him. 

His frustrations could be about things that if we also knew we would be just as frustrated with - we just dont know other than the whispers that go around that may or may not be on the money. 

 

His frustrations are minor. Everyone's frustrations are. Who gets what they want in life? Doesn't everybody deal with frustrations? Shouldn't we all expect frustrations? What makes one persons frustrations news? Shouldn't we expect an elite athlete to be frustrated when they fail to achieve their goal despite working like a dog year after year? 

Nearly every single AFL player leaves the game without winning a premiership. There's a lot of frustrations out there in the footballing community.... as there are in every other walk in life. 

If he doesn't want to play at the Demons, he can go. If he wants to stay and build the club up again, great. If his frustrations have overcome him so deeply that he no longer wants to stay then he isn't the person many of use thought he was, and in that case good riddance.

As a club we need to buck up and deal with the problems. People need to come together in the face of adversity, not pull apart. All those who want to go should go...

I could keep typing this stuff out, but I sense my own frustrations flagging themselves to be more important than they really are, so I'm going to shoulder my burden and get on with the truly important stuff instead.

Edited August 15 by Grr-owl

[Grr-owl 1,219]

5 minutes ago, John Crow Batty said:

Yeah, his silence is deafening. I am sure there are behind the scenes talks going on with Trac and the club and Trac and other clubs. Likely kind of fence straddling ATM. If other clubs are interested they will be looking deeply into his current injury issues before they show any serious interest. 

I think it's more likely his silence is due to the fact that actually there's nothing going on. 

[whatwhat say what 22,732]

13 minutes ago, mandeelorian said:

I would be devastated if I heard that any player was happy with the way the club is tracking at the moment but I'm equally devastated to have that disappointment being played out in the media.

Leaders of the club including players, coaches and admin need to sort this out behind closed doors.

I would love Trac to come out and put this to bed. That he hasn't speaks volumes and perhaps he has played his last game for us. 5 year contract or not I can't see us holding him to that if he truly wants to leave.

Also can't see us being fairly compensated for it in any trade.

 

this

given how honest trac is, i think when he does finally 'break his silence' he'll make it clear what the circumstances were and what his intentions were

at this stage, i can only presume that, given the lack of comments from him and the statements from pert and gawn, that he has indeed queried his future with the club

he won't be the first, nor the last, superstar player to explore his options after his team's poor season

[Fork 'em 6,983]

 
All I know is this clubs ability to self implode is second to none.
I also know this clubs ability to regularly embarrass their supporters is also second to none.
For some reason we just don't seem able to handle any sort of success or pressure ... At all.
For whatever reason.

[John Crow Batty 8,863]

9 minutes ago, Grr-owl said:

I think it's more likely his silence is due to the fact that actually there's nothing going on. 

 

[DistrACTION Jackson 8,712]

2 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

this

given how honest trac is, i think when he does finally 'break his silence' he'll make it clear what the circumstances were and what his intentions were

at this stage, i can only presume that, given the lack of comments from him and the statements from pert and gawn, that he has indeed queried his future with the club

he won't be the first, nor the last, superstar player to explore his options after his team's poor season

That’s fine, but it’s not like we’ve been sitting in the bottom 4 for the last 4 seasons and he’s questioning how we are going to rise.

We’ve won a flag and then had two top 4 finishes. I’m all for the players being disappointed with the 2024 season as we all are, but I would hope a club leader would show resilience

[Gawndy the Great 9,011]

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Ageee 100%

As Jordan Lewis said, good clubs keeps this in house without the leaks etc.

From the article 

The 28-year-old has not been able to keep his sense of dissatisfaction with the club to himself, with teammates, opposition players and industry figures increasingly aware of his feelings as he recuperated from the life-altering injury suffered on King’s Birthday.

It's damning and incredibly disappointing to read that Petracca is airing and venting his frustrations about the footy club to opposition players and industry key figures.

I get he's an emotional person but this is very poor look.

No player is bigger than the club. It is that simple. I don't pretend to know the specifics, but the way he has handled this situation has all but removed him from the running as Melbourne's next captain. I think equally, he would have lost a lot of trust and respect internally from other players. It actually shows a lot of immaturity and selfishness. It should have been dealt with behind closed doors. There is no legitimate reason this stuff has to be leaked into the media.