The AFL's decision to delay a rule change until 2025 seems likely to scupper any monster trade this year involving disgruntled Melbourne star, Christian Petracca.
That's the opinion of AFL.com.au's trade expert Cal Twomey, who says clubs are unlikely to be able to offer enough high-end draft picks to lure the four-time All-Australian out of the Demons this off-season.
Earlier this month, the AFL announced a raft of trade and draft rule changes, including allowing clubs to trade draft picks two years into the future. However, the rule won't come into effect until 2025, meaning clubs can only trade picks one year into the future during trade period this coming October.
Twomey believes a rival club would likely have to offer up to three first-round picks for Melbourne to even consider trading Petracca, a suite of picks that is difficult to stockpile under the current rules.
"The AFL's decision to wait on extending future trading for two years until 2025 has potentially stopped the biggest trade ever," Twomey said on Gettable this week.
"Christian Petracca's trade options are very limited because clubs just don't have enough capital to make a deal happen.
"He's been unsettled, he's been unhappy and rival clubs have been aware of that for many weeks. But it just seems so hard to see how any club could get a deal done with five years remaining on his contract and Melbourne holding the whip hand there.
"He hasn't met with any clubs yet and I don't think he'd be requesting a trade officially unless (a rival club) could show that they could make something happen. Not having an extra year of future picks to dig into makes that very, very hard.
"(Under 2025 rules) a club could have put forward three first-rounders for him, which would have changed the conversation."
Petracca's Future Uncertain
A Petracca move this off-season seems unlikely at this stage, with Twomey adding the 28-year-old would only consider a trade in the future if a big Victorian club made a play for him.
"I think there are only four clubs who could actually be legitimate options for him this year, next year or in the future; Essendon, Carlton, Collingwood or Hawthorn," Twomey said.
"Is he going to leave Victoria? I don't think so. Is he going to go to a club with a smaller supporter base than Melbourne? I don't think so. Is he going to want to play in big games? I would have thought so.
"Ultimately, I don't think any club has the hand to make the conversation start at this point.
"The AFL's decision to push that (rule) change down the road has made it really difficult to make this deal happen (this year)."
Petracca's Emotional Return to the Demons
Petracca addressed his teammates this week after a tumultuous season for the 2021 premiers, which included a traumatic season-ending injury to their star player on King's Birthday.
"Christian's going to be at this footy club for the next five years," Goodwin said.
"He's got five years to go on his contract, and he's going to be part of the red and blue."
Petracca's Mental Health Struggles
Melbourne defender Steven May revealed that Petracca has been struggling with his mental health since suffering a season-ending lacerated spleen on King’s Birthday in June. Petracca also had four broken ribs and was rushed to hospital, where he remained in ICU for almost a week, after copping an errant knee from Collingwood captain Darcy Moore.
The 28-year-old has stayed silent publicly and is yet to deny those reports. However, Petracca addressed teammates for the first time this week when he opened up on the toll his injury has taken on him. May said it’s been tough to see what his close mate has gone through.
"I’m good mates with ‘Trac’ and it’s upsetting to see what he’s going through; the injury and then obviously the mental health and then a lot of the media reporting. It’s obviously taken a toll on him," May told Channel 7 ahead of the Dees’ clash with Collingwood on Friday night.
Petracca has this week immersed himself back into the club, but is still a long way off from joining in on training.
"I’ve been checking in with him. It’s good to have him back at the club now in leadership meetings, at training, and he’ll probably be in the box tonight," May said.
"We’re a better club having him around. He’s a class clown and we’ve missed that sort of morale booster, especially while we’ve been copping it a bit. It’s good to have him back."
May said Monday’s address to the players was Petracca’s first chance to explain why he took time away from the club.
"He was pretty emotional," May said.
"It was more so about, he had spoken to the club about (the fact that) he needed some time off, and I think we might have been on an away game that week, so he didn’t get a chance to speak to us himself.
"He just pretty much stood up and told us exactly what he’s going through. He hasn’t missed a game (before his injury) in I don’t know how long — you take that away from someone and it can really take a big toll on you, so he needed some time away, and he pretty much just opened up to us about how he’d been feeling, how he’d been struggling.
"Mental health looks different for everyone, there’s no ‘one size fits all’.
"Some people might be better to be at the club, be involved in a coaching aspect, or some people need to get away and get out of Melbourne.
"It was just good to get some clarity on that."
Teammates Rally Around Petracca
Speaking on the radio during the week, Demons leader Jake Lever said the playing group was floored when they were told the full extent of his battles.
"The thing with ‘Trac’ is we probably just haven’t understood what he’s gone through since his injury. He spent a long time away from the football club," Lever told SEN.
"For senior players like myself, it was more a real eye-opener of what he’s been going through and then a greater understanding.
"I know he wasn’t in (at the club) a hell of a lot over the last 10 to 12 weeks.
"But since he’s spoken to the group about what he’s gone through .. it was almost like a weight had lifted off his shoulders and he’s back involved and (has) his smiling face at the football club again.
"That’s the Christian Petracca that I’ve missed over the last 10 to 12 weeks.
"I fully understood once he explained to me that he needed time away from the footy club and needed time with his fiancee Bella to really get away and football wasn’t the priority at that time - which is completely understandable.
"He said to us he couldn’t speak to us five or six weeks ago. He wasn’t ready to talk about it. He hadn’t come to terms with it himself, let alone trying to speak in front of 44 guys that you see every day."
"My first reaction was, ‘I don’t think that’s true at all’," Lever said.
"Christian Petracca, I’ve known since he was 17 years old and for the past seven years we’ve been driving the club forward together and been really passionate about making Melbourne a great team again.
"A couple of years ago he signed a seven-year deal.
"For me, I’ve seen a person that comes into the club every single day and tries to drive the club forward.
"So for someone that I’ve seen every day do that and then the story comes out, it was a big shock to me."
Goodwin Backs Petracca and Viney
Coach Simon Goodwin believes Monday’s meeting with players was an important moment for him.
"With any trauma, it takes time," Goodwin said on Tuesday.
"But we’ve got all the time that we need for Christian.
"It’s important for us to make sure he’s really happy and healthy and feeling really invigorated about the game and that’s what we want for him."
Goodwin also said premiership hero Jack Viney was “very close” to inking a new deal to remain at the club, despite having a year to run on his current contract. Viney's looming signature comes after North Melbourne pursued him hard to work with a young, rebuilding group at the Kangaroos.
North coach Alastair Clarkson raised eyebrows in a radio interview when he confirmed they were targeting the Demons vice-captain, less than 24 hours after he refused to comment when asked about Viney.
"Look, it’s something I wouldn’t do, talk about players from other clubs and where they’re at and what they’re doing from a list management perspective," Goodwin said of Clarkson’s comments.
"But every coach is a little bit different in that space.
"I think what it shows is the respect that people have for Jack Viney and the type of player and person that he is."
Petracca's Future at Melbourne
As Petracca recovers from his injuries and continues to work through his mental health challenges, his future at Melbourne remains uncertain. While the club has reiterated its commitment to the star midfielder, the possibility of a trade cannot be completely ruled out. The AFL's decision to delay the rule change could play a significant role in shaping Petracca's future. Whether he remains a Demon or seeks a fresh start elsewhere, his journey will be one to watch closely in the coming months.
