Will the Melbourne Demons keep Christian Petracca up forward? And the solemn reminder that footy is just a game

Forward, Christian soldier

Can the Demons turn Christian Petracca into Dustin Martin? They might need to.

True, the analogy doesn’t totally hold water. Martin kicked his highest season goal tally (37) in 2017, when he completely dominated the game as a midfielder. Since then, and increasingly as he’s entered the twilight of his career, he’s spent the majority of time forward. His second two Norm Smith Medals (in 2019 and 2020) were won because of his explosivity in attack.

Petracca is at his peak, not in his twilight. Against Carlton on Thursday night, he played at full-forward, kicked five goals, handed off two more and was by far the most potent threat on the ground. If not for a desperate, lunging tackle by Patrick Cripps with 20 seconds to play, he might have pinched a game that looked gone at quarter-time.

Melbourne have been trying to build a bridge between their peerless midfield and their forwards for more than two years now. Petracca is, with Max Gawn, their best player; taking him out of that midfield is not something any coach would do lightly. But the Demons have enough depth to cover Petracca in that part of the ground. Up forward, not so much.

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Petracca doesn’t need anyone to tell him he needs to work on his finishing. He already will be, after kicking 19.31 in 2022 and 28.34 last year. He might have flown the flag in a losing cause, but he also might have shown coach Simon Goodwin the way forward. It was – next to the 2021 grand final – perhaps his greatest game.

The pendulum swings back

Petracca had dragged the Demons back from a 38-point deficit early in the third term and had them on the brink of victory. The following night, Port Adelaide led Geelong by 49 point and were storming to a famous victory at GMHBA Stadium, only for the Cats to claw and scratch their way back into the game. Like Carlton, Port held on, but only just.

It’s been a theme since the beginning of the season. In opening round, the Blues overcame a 46-point deficit to squeak past the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba, where the home side hadn’t lost for more than a year. Collingwood, as they are wont to do, gave a five-goal start to Port before steamrolling them at the MCG in round six.

No club this season has really tested Leigh Matthews’ dictum that a coach could only really feel safe when the margin was beyond 10 goals. But with the way football is being played now, who knows?

Since the Magpies turned themselves into comeback kings in 2022-2023, other clubs have cottoned on that you’re only out of a game when you tell yourselves you are.

Instead of folding up when the going gets tough, we’re seeing teams throw caution to the wind with breathtaking, risk-taking football. Football in 2024 is all about momentum. It’s resulting in spectacular exhibitions for fans, and a lot more grey hairs in the coaching box. They’ll be working on how to shut teams down when the pendulum swings back at them.

Back in black (and white)

Yes, it was only West Coast – notwithstanding that the Eagles are a measurably better team this year. But in its full context, Collingwood’s romping victory on Sunday afternoon might have been their best of the season. Better than last week’s win over arch-rivals Carlton; better even than their round-six demolition of Port Adelaide.

It wasn’t just the long list of players from their best 22 who were absent (Tom Mitchell, Jordan De Goey, Brody Mihocek, Jamie Elliott, Beau McCreery and Lachie Schultz, as well as ACL victim Daniel McStay), or the fact Jeremy Howe, Harvey Harrison and Jack Bytel went down early that made this win meritorious. It was the style with which they did it.

Collingwood were quicker, more aggressive and more connected than they’ve looked all year. They didn’t for a second look like taking their opponents lightly, despite the Eagles having their own injury concerns. The way they went about checking first-year prodigy Harley Reid (who was, at times, still spectacular) spoke to that.

After losing their first three matches of the year, Collingwood are now just a game out of the four. It’s easily forgotten that they weathered their share of injuries last year too, including a stretch where they were lacking a first-choice ruckman. There’s a long way to go this season. Magpies coach Craig McRae likes to keep reminding us it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Izak ranking needs an upgrade

Given the Crows’ disappointing start to the season, Izak Rankine’s move from the forward line into the midfield hasn’t garnered as many plaudits as Isaac Heeney has since making the same Brownlow-worthy shift for the Swans.

But it’s time we took notice. The umpires should, too. Rankine already has 19 goals for the year, with 10 in the last three games. He’s gone goalless on just one occasion, in round four against Fremantle.

All the while, Rankine has been increasing his midfield minutes, often playing out of the centre square. He was the Crows’ most damaging player in the draw against the Lions yesterday, kicking three goals, handing off two more and collecting a career-high 24 possessions along the way.

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Rankine has been unfairly judged for much of his career. A freak talent, he was variously labelled selfish, goal-hungry and a one-way runner during his time at the Suns, mostly by critics who didn’t see how hard he worked.

The Suns have sorely missed him. The Crows have got him in his prime. He’s now a more rounded and disciplined footballer, but still capable of tearing a game apart in a few minutes. At times yesterday, he looked like another famous Crow, Andrew McLeod. Watch him go.

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