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Melbourne Demons’ Christian Petracca relives life-threatening injury as talk of trade request escalates

“It might have got to that point of no return. The problem is, if Harry McKay says no, the whole thing falls over.”

In what continues to be a traumatic time for Petracca, with the in-contract Melbourne star informing teammates and the Demons he wants to play at a new club next season, the champion midfielder has again opened up about his mental and physical battles.

Christian Petracca was in immediate pain after the collision in the King’s Birthday clash.Credit: AFL Photos

Petracca, 28, said he continues to relive events from that traumatic afternoon when he suffered four broken ribs, a lacerated spleen and a small puncture to his lung when accidentally kneed by Collingwood captain Darcy Moore.

“It’s been really, really tough. Probably the most traumatic thing I’ve experienced in my life. The trauma of everything … it’s actually not necessarily the incident of it, it’s the aftermath of it. The surgery in general was a really traumatic experience: being awake for it, internal bleeding, wasn’t able to be put to sleep under anaesthetic. I can think of every single thing happening at that time,” Petracca said on the Howie Games podcast.

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“This must have been 3am in the morning. I didn’t know at the time; I was drugged up. Bella (Petracca’s partner) came to the ICU the next day and basically said that at three in the morning … we got the number off the surgeon because he called to say you might not make it, basically. He’s in critical condition.”

Asked if there were fears he might not survive the operation, Petracca replied: “Yeah, because there was internal bleeding and everything. So (I was) in serious and critical condition. For me, it was more that, that hit home rather than the actual injury itself. I’ll be fine physically, and I’ll be able to train and get back to playing and everything. It’s just more that … the people around you feel it more than you,” Petracca said.

“Even since then, the last six, seven weeks have been really tough on both of us. She’s been amazing for me since I first met her but just through this experience. I’ve got insomnia I feel like, to be honest, because of stuff like that. I can’t sleep because of stuff like that … I’m having to see a trauma psych to deal with what’s going on.”

Petracca said there was “a lot of stuff” he was dealing with.

“The self-doubt, the trauma, and the stress of everything. I’ve been in-and-out of hospital three or four times through emergency,” he said.

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Petracca wasn’t asked about his playing future, where he has been linked with a move to Collingwood, the club he grew up barracking for, or Carlton.

Harry McKay has been linked with an exchange for Petracca, but McKay’s manager David Trotter of Hemisphere Management said his client would not be leaving the Blues. McKay is contracted to the Blues until the end of 2030.

The Blues or Magpies would satisfy one of Petracca’s main desires – to regularly play in front of big crowds.

On the podcast, he said Greater Western Sydney captain Toby Greene was the man he would most like to play with.

“I love Toby Greene, he is so polarising, but I just love watching him play. He is such a boss,” Petracca said.

Petracca’s future will be the most intriguing debate through the October trade period, despite Demons chief executive Gary Pert, coach Simon Goodwin and football department chief Alan Richardson insisting he will not be traded under any circumstances.

“No we’re not going to trade Christian,” Richardson told 3AW on Friday night.

“He’s a fantastic player, a fantastic Melbourne person. We acknowledge that it’s been a really tough time for him, but our footy club has been built around some really important signings.”

Petracca is a four-time All-Australian, a two time best-and-fairest winner, Norm Smith medallist and a premiership player. He is contracted on a multi-million dollar deal until the end of 2029.

He confirmed in June that his family had been left “frustrated” over the situation he was in post surgery, while he was frustrated last season when he felt the club could have acted more strongly when dealing with teammate Clayton Oliver, who had well-publicised issues on and off the field.

Petracca’s manager Robbie D’Orazio declined to comment.

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