17 minutes ago, Mouseymoo said:

Can't begrudge a player that's given as much as Tracc has a fresh start of that's what they want.

Maybe it is best.

However there will be no demands on clubs to be sent to and no us getting screwed in the process. We have to be in the driver's seat.

Disagree… players need to suck it up, sign a long term contract you see it through

Happy to offload Tracc, second in the B & F the start of his acceptance speach said it all. Doesn't want to be here... TRADE

Not one for conspiracy theories but our youtube page hasnt uploaded Petraccas speech.

It does have our 1st, 3rd and 4th place winners as well as a handful of interviews with players like Turner, Langford, Melksham and Campbell.

Then again, our media team isn't exactly known for their excellence.

If either Melbourne or Geelong are interested in trading Clarry this year it puts the new coach in an interesting spot while he’s working for both.

5 hours ago, bing181 said:

points out that of the clubs that would be seriously interested, the only one that has salary cap space is Adelaide.

The article also questions what's in it for us. In terms of a trade there are hardly any established key forwards available, and if we get picks, it's a comparatively weak draft.

I'd welcome Tilthorpe for Petracca.

Someone tell me I'm dreaming! 🐦‍⬛😶‍🌫️

4 hours ago, Hellfire Dub said:

I'd welcome Tilthorpe for Petracca.

Someone tell me I'm dreaming! 🐦‍⬛😶‍🌫️

You are dreaming

5 hours ago, Colm said:

If either Melbourne or Geelong are interested in trading Clarry this year it puts the new coach in an interesting spot while he’s working for both.

This story is now as cold as the snags Rhys Stanley cooked up on the bbq a club sponsor bought him.

6 hours ago, Roost it far said:

Flanders and a first round pick for Trac.

Do they have enough points for their academy players at the pointy end? This might be the most reasonable deal I’ve seen.

Don't read into the Trac articles too much, been sitting on the "Journo's" desks for 8 months waiting to put out there. Let him sit down and talk with King first, get an idea of where his place is moving forward and if he is happy with that. If he is then not happy with the direction, we then look at a trade.

Morris also says in his article that there is less of an interest then last year for Trac to move, which screams it's a nothing article at this stage.

King believes we are a finals team, and if so, Petracca is a finals player! He will be a big part of King's plan and now he can sell that to Trac.

9 hours ago, Demonsone said:

Disagree… players need to suck it up, sign a long term contract you see it through

I only want players that want to be here. If he wants to leave and if it's to our benefit then that's fine. Kind of sick of the talk every year about him being uncommitted.

11 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

I think we’d be willing to pay a chunk of Tracc’s salary for more draft capital.

It might be a weak draft but still better than no draft.

If for instance we could get 6 and Flanders for Tracc and 23 I’d be happy with that.

I'd prefer Petracca stays but that's the deal if he goes IMO, but they'd need to pay full salary or give us F1 back. They need points for their Academy players so 23 is very useful.

The talks around Christian Petracca leaving Melbourne have accelerated with the Norm Smith medallist willing to consider more clubs as a future home. The latest on Petracca and fellow Dees star Clayton Oliver.

Melbourne star Christian Petracca has opened up his options and would consider a trade interstate to continue his AFL career, as talks heat up over the four-time All-Australian’s exit.

Meanwhile Clayton Oliver is committed to staying at the Demons and playing an integral role under new coach Steven King.

Petracca, 29, was keen on an exit last year but Melbourne could not and would not trade him to his desired home of a big Victorian club.

That was especially hard given his lucrative contract which runs until the end of 2029, a deal peaking at $1.7 million a year and not falling below $1.2 million.

A year later and things have changed, according to Nine’s Tom Morris, with Petracca now willing to join a contending club like Adelaide, Gold Coast or Sydney.

“Christian Petracca had his eyes last year firmly fixed on big Victorian clubs - Carlton, Collingwood and the like. This year it’s different,” Morris said on Nine News.

“Though Hawthorn was his preference before the Zach Merrett situation unfolded, he is open to non-Victorian clubs. I’m talking about Adelaide, Gold Coast and Sydney.

“And Melbourne unlike last year is open to the right deal, even though they won’t declare that publicly.

“Petracca doesn’t want to be seen as banging the table (for an exit) and the Demons at every opportunity have stopped short of guaranteeing their Norm Smith medallist will be at the club in 2026.”

The Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph said Petracca wasn’t as desperate to leave as he was last year.

“But he’s open to a fresh start. He’s open to a club that potentially could see him win another premiership,” Ralph said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

“His teammates don’t believe he's checked out but they’re not sure he’s 100% invested.

“It’s hard when you have that trade refused.”

Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca will be a big watch during the trade period.Source: Getty Images

King said on Monday both Petracca and Oliver were part of his plans, though he did not categorically say they would be kept to their contracts.

“Absolutely, they are both superstars of the competition for what they’ve done,” King said.

“To get the opportunity to work with those guys and get them back to playing their best footy is something I would provide myself on as a coach.”

Former Demon Jordan Lewis questioned whether Petracca not being fully committed to the Demons could seep into the locker room.

“You always wonder what happens in the locker room, especially after what happened last year,” Lewis said on On the Couch.

“If a player shows a desire to leave, I think you try and entertain that deal if you possibly can.

“Twelve months on, that conversation is still around. It must be that he must have a desire to be somewhere else.

“You just wonder what that does internally to the players. Is he the same player he was 12 months ago? Not performance wise.

“But around the locker room, is he still invested? Only the players and Christian would generally know that.

“I think Steven King will have to make a decision relatively quickly.”

Triple premiership Lion Jonathan Brown floated Adelaide as a potential suitor given the Crows’ need for “gun midfielders.”

And Ralph suggested the Demons should be open to a deal for two first-round picks to help them add to their young nucleus.

“Melbourne hasn’t got a first-round pick this year ... they’ve got a nucleus of young kids, but they haven’t got an enough young A-graders, they need to get into this draft,” he said.

“If Adelaide would give them their first-round pick this year and next year, I think it’s something Steven King would have to think about.”

Lewis also posed whether the coaching change could help reinvigorate the 2021 Norm Smith medallist.

“The one thing that would be in my mind if I’m Christian Petracca: ‘I wonder how different next year will be with a new coach? And whether that does invigorate me and whether that means we’re a finals contender?’ That could potentially flip his mindset around,” Lewis added.

Meanwhile Oliver remains committed to the Dees and the new direction under King, as reported by SEN’s Sam Edmund.

The three-time All-Australian is keen to be a key part of the new Melbourne coach’s side next season after pursuing a trade to Geelong this time last year.

“He’s very happy at Melbourne, loves the club and wants to have a great season in 2026,” Oliver’s manager, Nick Gieschen, said in a statement to SEN.

“He’s a Melbourne person.”

A couple of late first rounders don't move me

Maybe King can chat with Tracc about a new on-field role that might re-energise him. The option of giving him a half-back role. I put this idea into ChatGPT -

Petracca’s brilliance is his explosiveness in the midfield and forward 50, but he has been banged up and heavily tagged. A half-back role could:

• Benefit Him:

  • Give him more time and space to use his kicking and vision.

  • Reduce the constant battering he takes in the guts.

  • Allow him to dictate tempo and rebound from defensive 50, similar to how Dustin Martin was trialled in different roles to extend his influence.

• Benefit the Team:

  • Melbourne’s half-back line has relied heavily on Christian Salem and Jake Bowey — Petracca would add power, leadership, and creativity there.

  • His line-breaking run could turn defence into attack instantly.

  • In finals, a weapon like Petracca off half-back forces opposition teams into a matchup nightmare.

But — it should be a flexible role. He can start half-back, roll into the midfield when the game demands, and even rest forward. Selling him on being the ultimate utility weapon could re-ignite his motivation.

Interesting.

5 minutes ago, damienjr said:

Maybe King can chat with Tracc about a new on-field role that might re-energise him. The option of giving him a half-back role. I put this idea into ChatGPT -

Petracca’s brilliance is his explosiveness in the midfield and forward 50, but he has been banged up and heavily tagged. A half-back role could:

• Benefit Him:

  • Give him more time and space to use his kicking and vision.

  • Reduce the constant battering he takes in the guts.

  • Allow him to dictate tempo and rebound from defensive 50, similar to how Dustin Martin was trialled in different roles to extend his influence.

• Benefit the Team:

  • Melbourne’s half-back line has relied heavily on Christian Salem and Jake Bowey — Petracca would add power, leadership, and creativity there.

  • His line-breaking run could turn defence into attack instantly.

  • In finals, a weapon like Petracca off half-back forces opposition teams into a matchup nightmare.

But — it should be a flexible role. He can start half-back, roll into the midfield when the game demands, and even rest forward. Selling him on being the ultimate utility weapon could re-ignite his motivation.

Interesting.

Ask chatgpt if it's generally a good idea to deploy a player who goes at 48% by foot as a half back flanker

18 minutes ago, RedFox said:

Ask chatgpt if it's generally a good idea to deploy a player who goes at 48% by foot as a half back flanker

I agree. Dumb idea.

Pick 6, the Suns 2026 First round pick and Sam Flanders

for

Christian Petracca and pick 23

feels like a win-win, Trac helps the Suns win now, Dees add 3 good young players to the already exciting young core and strengthen our draft hand significantly

If King is fair dinkum, he won't let the tail wag the dog

If Trac wants out, do it! Get picks to build from within

There's enough senior players to mentor the younger players coming through

PS - watch the last games of the year...he ignored teammates in a better position and he, too, was bypassed on many occasions

One

Foot

Out

The

Door

Bye bye

4 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

Pick 6, the Suns 2026 First round pick and Sam Flanders

for

Christian Petracca and pick 23

feels like a win-win, Trac helps the Suns win now, Dees add 3 good young players to the already exciting young core and strengthen our draft hand significantly

Who pays his contract?

Just now, damienjr said:

Who pays his contract?

Probably we would have to pay a little bit either way, i don't think we're going to get a high end trade return and clear the books totally.

1 minute ago, Ted Lasso said:

Probably we would have to pay a little bit either way, i don't think we're going to get a high end trade return and clear the books totally.

Maybe P6 or SF for Tracc and his full contract. That said, not many clubs would/can take on his full contract.

Edited 12 hours ago12 hr by damienjr

13 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

He could do what Clarry has done and let his manager say he’s all in, he loves the club, he’s invested and can’t wait to work under King. He’s on holidays not on the moon.

If there is no truth to the noise, don’t do what you did last year, don’t let it fester, just shut it down. Do it now. Or it’ll keep coming back.

And I don’t think anyone hates Trac. I’m on record as saying that the quickest way back to success is for King to get the best out of Trac and Clarry again, and that trading is the easiest option, but one fraught with danger. But you can’t get the best out of someone who isn’t invested.

If he wants out, he wants out. I’m glad we tried working with him, and gave him time to heal physically and mentally. He’s had an ok season and there is loads to work with there for King. But again, you can’t keep dragging players who don’t want to be at your club. I personally hope he stays, but if he’s not 100% in, then he has to go.

Some blokes shout their love of the club, others just grind through pain and still finish 2nd in the B&F. Trac’s never been one for spin. If that’s not investment, I’m not sure what is!

Just now, john delosa said:

Some blokes shout their love of the club, others just grind through pain and still finish 2nd in the B&F. Trac’s never been one for spin. If that’s not investment, I’m not sure what is!

If he's invested and wants to stay at Melbourne, he or his manager could say that today, literally right now via any format they choose and end the talk.

Letting trade stories about your desire to leave fester and saying nothing shows there is truth to it, Trac is about the most active on social media player in AFL history, there is close to zero chance he isn't aware of all of this.

All speculation. I guess its water off a ducks back for players and clubs by now.

Some chance maybe that Yze and Tigers may be interested. They have good draft capital and would be only to happy to give up pick 2 or 3 plus ? for Tracc.

Would he want the Tigers though??

7 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

If he's invested and wants to stay at Melbourne, he or his manager could say that today, literally right now via any format they choose and end the talk.

Letting trade stories about your desire to leave fester and saying nothing shows there is truth to it, Trac is about the most active on social media player in AFL history, there is close to zero chance he isn't aware of all of this.

I get the frustration, but silence doesn’t always equal guilt. Some players (and managers) prefer not to feed the fire, because every word just spins into five new headlines. Trac’s on holiday, maybe the smarter move is to let the club and his management handle it, not turn Insta into a press conference.