Christian Petracca claims his second 'Bluey' Truscott Memorial Trophy as Melbourne's club champion for the 2023 season.
“Christian is a special player, and his commitment to improving his craft and the team is second to none. He works incredibly hard on his game, and is hyper focused on being the best player and teammate he can be," Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said.
“This season saw Christian take on a different role, which he performed at an exceptional level, and this award is fitting recognition for an outstanding year.”
Clayton Oliver creates history, joining Demon legends Allan La Fontaine and Jim Stynes as just the third player to win a fourth Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Memorial Trophy as the club's best and fairest for 2022.
Oliver stormed home to poll 608 votes, comfortably clear of fellow midfielder Christian Petracca (553) in second and defender Steven May (473).
Christian Petracca has suffered a hairline fracture of his right fibula as well as a corked calf, but the Demons are still backing the gun midfielder to line up in their semi-final against Brisbane.
"The fracture poses no further risk to Christian and will not impact his ability to play," Melbourne football boss Alan Richardson said in a statement.
"What will pose more of a challenge for Christian is the corky he sustained to his calf in a collision that occurred in the first quarter and hampered his movement for the majority of the match against Sydney."
Clayton Oliver claims his third Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Memorial Trophy after being named Melbourne's best and fairest player for the Demons' 2021 premiership season.
The 24-year-old finished with 670 votes to edge out fellow midfield ace Christian Petracca (644) in second, with captain Max Gawn (542) finishing third.
Oliver became just the seventh Demon to win the award on three or more occasions.
Melbourne captain Max Gawn condemns the behaviour of teammates Christian Petracca and Jayden Hunt who were involved in an inappropriate incident where Hunt is seen to grab Petracca's backside during Simon Goodwin's three-quarter time address during the Demons' clash against Essendon.
"Christian and Jayden know that this was an inappropriate act, which is not in line with our expectations, or that of the League," Gawn said.
"As a playing group, we understand and respect the example we need to be setting, and will continue to reinforce this going forward."
Christian Petracca signs a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the Demons until the end of 2022.
"I've always wanted to be at the club so to sign on for another two years is an amazing feeling," Petracca said.
"I've got so many mates here, they're my closest mates. I see them every day and I probably annoy the hell out of them but I'm just so grateful to be a part of such a great group. I can call so many guys my brothers and mates for life."
Christian Petracca is rescued in a pool training incident after he had pushed himself to the brink of unconsciousness in an underwater exercise at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.
The Demons forward and his teammates had been required to hold medicine balls under water in a professionally supervised hypoxic session. The session's co-ordinator was forced to jump into the pool to rescue Petracca when he struggled to resurface.
Christian Petracca undergoes surgery for an infected finger after being bitten by one of his dogs and will miss this weeks clash against Essendon at Etihad Stadium.
Petracca, 22, carried the injury through the 46-point loss to Richmond on Anzac Day Eve and collected 19 disposals.
"It was a reasonable size wound on his finger, but it was bandaged and taped for the game," Demons elite performance manager Dave Misson said.
"But 24 hours post the game, it looked like it was becoming infected, so he went to see a doctor, and the doctor felt that he needed the wound to be cleaned out, which they did today (Thursday).
"But by today, that infection had gone into his bone and gone down to his finger joint – at the top of the finger."
Christian Petracca says he plays his best football when walking a fine line between confidence and arrogance.
"I want to be that person who has a (massive) impact every week," Petracca told SEN radio.
"I don't think it's arrogance, I think it's a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Sometimes I flirt with that, but sometimes you've got to have that to be the best.
"I used to go for Collingwood and used to watch Scott Pendlebury with the confidence he had. Who doesn't want to be that guy with the ball in their hand (in the big moments)?"
Christian Petracca signs a two-year contract extension with Melbourne to remain at the club until the end of 2020.
"It means everything. The club put faith in me as an 18-year-old kid and drafted me, and all I want to do is repay that faith," he said.
"That's by winning premierships and staying at the club for as long as I can.
"The way the club's heading at the moment, I couldn't picture myself anywhere else. I love the environment, my teammates and the coaching staff, and I'm just thrilled to be here."
Christian Petracca says he was in awe after meeting NBA superstar Lebron James.
The 21-year-old, who was on holidays in the US with a few Demons teammates including Dom Tyson and James Harmes, went to Philadelphia to watch Australian star Ben Simmons play.
"(I) shook LeBron's hand, and I can't really describe to be honest, I think I was looking at my hand for about 10 minutes after, it was an awesome feeling," he said.
Christian Petracca has streamlined his physique in a bid to improve his fitness.
"I made a commitment to myself … I don't have the greatest endurance, so just trying to get my weight down, I thought, would be a good indicator of where my endurance was. I've definitely gotten a lot fitter," Petracca said.
"It was hard – I had to tell my mum to stop cooking for me. I had to tell her just to cut my portions down a bit."
Christian Petracca is the 2016 round 9 NAB AFL Rising Star nominee tallying 21 disposals and 7 tackles as well as being involved in 11 of Melbourne's score involvements against Brisbane.
"The more games you play the more comfortable you become in your body. I feel like I had a good all-round game on the weekend," Petracca said.
"I just needed to finish a few more shots but other than that I thought I had a good game."
Christian Petracca makes his AFL debut for Melbourne at Docklands Stadium with 16 disposals (8 kicks and 8 handballs), a mark and 5 tackles in a 39-point loss to St Kilda.
Wednesday, 27 April 2016
Christian Petracca will finally make his much-anticipated debut on Saturday against St Kilda, the club which overlooked him with the No.1 pick in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft.
Dees coach Paul Roos delivered the good news to Petracca on Wednesday, after holding back the midfield bull despite weeks of sensational VFL form.
"I never thought the day would come to be honest," Petracca said.
"He (Roos) didn’t really tell me I was playing. He told me there was no spot for me in the team and we were playing good footy, which is true to be honest.
"Then he told me that I was playing and I can’t really describe it to be honest – it’s all a bit of a blur."
Melbourne coach Paul Roos believes Christian Petracca has learned his lesson after copping a blast from his coach when the untried Demon broke a toe trying to dunk a basketball during the Christmas break.
The No.2 overall draft pick in 2014 missed the entire 2015 season after rupturing his ACL in February last year, and then took another six weeks to recover from the break suffered over the Christmas break.
"It was pretty blunt. Discussion is the wrong way to put it. It wasn't a discussion," Roos said.
"He was trying to dunk the basketball in his backyard. If it's Tommy McDonald, you say 'why did you do it?'
"If it's Christian, it's another layer because of his knee. It's put him out for six weeks and robbed the club of a player for round one.
"He had the hangdog look for a couple of days then bounced back. But he looks like he's learned his lesson and maybe that's a good thing."
Christian Petracca suffers a small crack to the little toe on his right foot after a basketball mishap.
Petracca will be forced off his legs for the next month while he recovers, before he builds his fitness back up to a point where can resume full training.
"When you’re an AFL player, you need to understand that everything you do impacts your ability to prepare and contribute to the team and this incident is clearly an interruption," Melbourne coach Paul Roos said.
"It’s a harsh lesson for Christian, but one we are sure he is going to learn from as he develops as an AFL player."
Melbourne is confident Christian Petracca will be ready to make his AFL debut in 2016, but the club is making no apologies about the level of caution it has shown with the talented youngster.
Petracca is nearing a return to full training, 10 months after he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in a routine training drill during pre-season training in February.
"Right now Christian's still in the rehab group and he's doing bits and pieces of training," Demons football manager Josh Mahoney said.
"If all things progress well he'll be given the same opportunities as all our guys to perform and if he's playing well enough he'll play some AFL football."
Christian Petracca will take another step in his recovery from a knee reconstruction when he heads to America in September to meet with a world-renowned rehabilitation specialist.
"In our attempt to get the best outcome for Christian, we have been investigating opportunities to strengthen his knee further and have decided to send him to the US for an intensive five-day rehab camp which specialises in knee reconditioning," Melbourne football manager Josh Mahoney said.
"We believe that his camp along with the ongoing exercises is going to give Christian the best opportunity for a strong recovery and set him up for a solid pre-season."
Christian Petracca says Robbie Gray has been a great support to him as he recovers from a torn arterior cruciate ligament.
In the hours after his injury, Petracca received a text message from Gray who urged the teenager to remain positive despite the fact he was going to miss the rest of the season with the serious knee injury.
"I've been through the same thing before as Christian, and copping such a big injury at such an early age was devastating for him," Gray said.
"I told him to stay nice and positive. 12 months is a long time out of the game, but I told him to follow his rehab really strictly and tick all the boxes."
Christian Petracca signs a new two-year deal with Melbourne that will keep him at the club until the end of 2018.
"From day one I knew I wanted to re-sign, I love the club," Petracca said as he continues his rehabiliation from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
"When I did my knee I wanted to feel secure. I know I have all the time in the world (to rehabilitate) and this club is on the up.
"To see the transition of some of the young guys who are now playing great footy and the leadership we have around the club and the new coaching group, with (Simon) Goodwin and (Brendan) McCartney, it is so beneficial for us boys."
Christian Petracca says he is remaining positive despite the fact he will have a season-ending knee reconstruction.
"It's a little more frustrating if anything. I've never had an injury like this before," Petracca said.
"Mentally, it'll definitely challenge me, but I'm looking forward to [the process of the rehabilitation].
"I'm a pretty upbeat kid, and so long as I can bring that positivity day in day out then the rehab and the year will fly."
Petracca said the injury was a "blur" and at first he believed he had only hyper-extended his knee, rather than a full-blown ACL.
After pushing off a teammate to create space during a training drill, he felt his knee "click back" before limping off the track to be assessed by the Demons' medical staff.
The midfielder said he had performed that kind of manoeuvre many times during his junior basketball days and it was unfortunate that his knee gave way.
Renowned surgeon Julian Feller will perform the surgery on Petracca's knee.
Christian Petracca is selected by the Demons with pick No.2 in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft.
"Christian's body of work over a two-year period stands out. He has been able to perform over time. His finals as a bottom-ager in 2013 was exceptional and he has put together a good season this year of consistent football," Melbourne's recruiting manager Jason Taylor said about Petracca.
Patrick McCartin is the 2014 No.1 draft pick after St Kilda selected the Geelong Falcons key forward ahead of Eastern Ranges midfielder Christian Petracca.
Petracca was the favourite to be the No.1 pick for much of this year, but the Saints ultimately opted to go with the 2014 draft pool's best tall forward.
Hot draft prospect Christian Petracca reveals he has spoken to Port gun Ollie Wines and is hoping to emulate his short but vibrant career.
"Trying to push through as that midfielder, I thought I'd look more up to Oliver Wines as that explosive midfielder that's able to spread and win his own ball," Petracca said on draft eve.
"I actually got in contact with him before draft camp and asked a few questions, which was really helpful.
"He's had an unbelievable first two years of his career. If I had half the start he had, I'd be pretty happy."