An investigation into Melbourne’s response to Christian Petracca’s season-ending injuries has hit a hurdle, with the AFL and AFL Players Association yet to agree to terms on how it should proceed.
AFLPA chief executive Paul Marsh said in September he planned to launch an investigation into what transpired with Petracca after he was hurt in the King’s Birthday clash against Collingwood. A month later, Marsh said he had put forward a suggested review process to the AFL and who should conduct the probe, but the PA is still awaiting a response.
“We are still working through the process with the AFL,” an AFLPA spokesperson said.
Back on board: After a turbulent winter, Christian Petracca and Melbourne are focused on season 2025.Credit: Joe Armao
The AFL and Demons were contacted for comment.
The review is now unlikely to begin before next year, for the AFL industry, including clubs, the PA and league headquarters, will soon officially shut for the Christmas break.
Petracca was hospitalised after having surgery on a lacerated spleen, four broken ribs and a punctured lung after he was accidentally kneed in a marking contest by Collingwood captain Darcy Moore in the Demons’ 38-point loss. The internal injuries ended Petracca’s season.
However, it was potential mismanagement which led to a falling out between the player and the club. There were questions as to why Petracca had been allowed to return briefly to the field after he was initially hurt and left for treatment. Upon leaving the field for a second time, he was taken by ambulance to hospital.
Age columnist Caroline Wilson, speaking on Footy Classified in Sepember, said Marsh was examining all facets of the day, including the initial diagnosis of the injury, the length of time it took for the Demons to call an ambulance, why Petracca waited for hours at the Epworth Hospital before being taken to the Alfred Hospital where he had surgery.
AFL chief medical officer Dr Michael Makdissi sought clarification from Melbourne’s doctors the day after the game, and was “comfortable” with the process involved with Petracca, this masthead reported at the time.
However, Marsh previously said the PA wanted greater clarity.
“I guess we’ll see how it plays out, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t go down a path of trying to understand what happened,” Marsh told SEN in September.
“The AFL has, obviously, come out and said that they’ve cleared Melbourne, we’re trying to understand on what basis that’s the case. We are concerned about how this has played out from a player’s perspective, and I think on face value, we all should be concerned about what nearly happened here.
“What can we learn from this? We’re not baying for blood here. What we’re trying to do is understand what happened … we have to learn from these things because it’s a high-risk sport at times. I think we’ve got to make sure that the medical support that sits around the players is as good as it can possibly be.”
This masthead is not suggesting there was any wrongdoing by the Demons, only that the PA has initiated a review.
How the Demons handled Petracca’s time in hospital, and the contact between the club and player, also became a source of friction between the player and club. As a result, Petracca asked to be traded, but that request was rejected by the club.
A source aware of the Petracca issue said while the union could review the matter, it did not have official powers to investigate under AFL rules.
Petracca’s manager Robbie D’Orazio said he wasn’t across the full details of the review, but said Petracca – back in pre-season training – was “going extremely well”.
