Christian Petracca will not attend the Demons’ best and fairest awards and instead be at a Red Bull training camp in Austria.
The move is raising eyebrows just weeks after bombshell reports the superstar footballer was considering requesting to be traded away from the club.
The turmoil overshadowed the Demons’ nightmare season with reports Petracca’s family will “never forgive” the football club over its handling of the internal injuries he suffered during an on-field incident earlier this year.
IMAGINE WHAT YOU COULD BE BUYING INSTEAD. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
The Demons, however, insist the reason for Petracca’s decision to skip the awards night is unrelated to the storm that swirled last month.
According to the football club, Petracca says he’s trying to get himself back “physically and mentally to the person I was” with an overseas trip to Austria for a training camp next month.
He will join other international athletes for a Red Bull training camp, but said he expects to join teammates on the first day of pre-season later this year.
However, the overseas trip means he won’t be there for the club champion dinner on October 4.
The club has approved Petracca’s break overseas.
Melbourne said Petracca had been cleared by his surgeon to increase his heart rate from a previous limit which had meant slow progress in his comeback from a ruptured spleen and other internal injuries he suffered in a marking contest during the King’s Birthday game.
The 28-year-old said in an interview on Melbourne’s website that he was “just trying to prioritise my training and my injury” with the overseas trip.
“It’ll be awesome probably from a mental point of view, getting back to that confidence in myself and my body, ready to attack day one of pre-season,” he said.
“For me it’s just been the most amazing experience, being able to use their facilities and have access to some of the best high performance people in the world.
“I want to be able to compete and get back out on the (MCG) in round 1 for the fans, and be really excited to run back out there.”
Leave a Reply