Christian Petracca and the rumours surrounding his desire to leave the Demons dominated the discussion on this week’s edition of Neds AFL Unpopular Opinions.
Alastair Lynch, a three-time Brisbane Lions premiership player, did not hide his surprise and skepticism regarding the rumours and speculation that have rocked the football world.
Lynch, drawing on his experience as a former Fitzroy favourite who made a high-profile switch to the Brisbane Bears at the end of 1993, commented on the difficulty and emotional toll of leaving a club where one has built a strong reputation and connection.
Reflecting on his own decision to move, Lynch shared, “Even though I got my pay tripled and a contract for 10 years, it still was an incredibly hard decision to leave because of those passionate supporters that hang in there every week and through the ups and downs.”
Lynch went on to argue that Petracca already has the platform to build his brand within the Melbourne Football Club and moving to another team like Carlton wouldn’t significantly enhance his profile. “You’ve won a flag, you’ve got high-class players around you, and a Norm Smith Medal—what more could you want?”
His co-host, Tom Rockliff, who played 208 games for the Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide, brought his own perspective on the challenges and considerations involved in leaving a club.
Unlike Petracca, Rockliff felt pushed out of Brisbane, where he had been a captain and an All-Australian.
“I got offered a $200k pay cut, which didn’t sit right with me,” Rockliff recalled.
This ultimately led him to seek a trade where he ended up at Port Adelaide from 2018 until his retirement during the 2021 season.
However, Rockliff stressed that even when the writing is on the wall, leaving a club is never easy.
“It was still a tough decision, and I knew I was leaving for more money, but it was hard. You feel like you’re starting to come out the other side, and then you have to go.”
Rockliff found it hard to believe that Petracca, who has been a pivotal player in Melbourne’s recent success, would consider leaving for reasons related to branding.
“If what’s being reported is true, I think it’s on Petracca. Relationships are mendable, time will heal that. But if this is about building the Petracca brand, I don’t think a move from Melbourne to Carlton is going to make that much difference. His profile is already huge. If that is true, it just reeks of me, me, me”
This could be Christian Petracca's last-ditch option if he wants to force his way out of Melbourne… 👉 https://t.co/rxwbNdT2RT pic.twitter.com/FJjpVTlFa1
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) August 27, 2024
Host of the podcast, Neds own Dylan Leach, expressed concerns about how fans would react if Petracca indeed decided to leave Melbourne.
He drew parallels to past instances where players left clubs under controversial circumstances, such as Jason Horne-Francis leaving North Melbourne or Tom Scully’s move from Melbourne to GWS.
“If Petracca moved, the response from Melbourne fans wouldn’t be pretty. His brand would not be enhanced; it would be tainted,” Leach warned.
Leach predicted that Petracca would face significant backlash not just from Melbourne supporters, but from fans of other clubs as well, should he switch teams. “If people thought what Jason Horne-Francis copped for leaving North Melbourne was unfair, I’m telling you, Petracca will cop it even worse.”
The discussion also led Lynch and Rockliff to reflect on their own experiences of moving clubs, highlighting the emotional and professional factors that come into play. Lynch noted the importance of leadership within the club to address any internal issues that might lead a player to consider leaving.
“You sit down with a couple of people that you’re confident with, like Gawn and Viney, and work through what the issues are. But you stay and rebuild.”
Both Lynch and Rockliff agreed that Petracca should not be traded and that the issues, if any, should be resolved within the club.
They emphasized that trading a player of Petracca’s caliber would be a significant gamble, one that Melbourne should not entertain lightly.
The episode underscored the complexity of the situation surrounding Christian Petracca, with Lynch and Rockliff both expressing hope that the situation could be resolved in a way that keeps Petracca at Melbourne.
The overarching sentiment was one of disbelief that a player of Petracca’s stature would consider leaving a club where he has already achieved so much, especially if the motivation is something as intangible as “building a brand.”
However, it was best summed up by Lynch, “If all these rumors and supposed comments are not true, he needs to come out and clarify that, and he should do it this week.”
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