Player Watch #5: Christian Petracca – Norm Smith Medallist, 4 x All-Australian and 2 x Best and Fairest

Bazza97

Premiership Player
Nov 17, 2016
3,957
3,973
Melbourne
AFL Club
Melbourne
Petracca needs to play as a midfielder in 2020. Really encouraging signs today in what was a forgettable game and predictable finish.
Yeah I agree. Reckon if he played predominantly mid next year it would take his game to the next level. Would also give our midfield a different look and dynamic as he's an impactful player that makes things happen when he's around the ball. Reckon it would be a beneficial move for both him (think Petracca can best reach his potential in the midfield) and the team. Looking forward to seeing what Petracca can produce in 2020.
 
He combined well with Oliver, Brayshaw and Viney a few times in the last few minutes I thought and was a victim of the other few ******* up his hard work. Hopefully Darren Burgess can help him to stardom.
 
Got better as the season went on having lost his Kim Kardashian butt. I can imagine it would be a tough gig dragging that around with you for 4 quarters.

Come back next preseason fitter, fatso. 🙂
 

stEdy

Premiership Player
Nov 2, 2007
4,436
13,291
Melbourne
AFL Club
Melbourne
His set shot misses stick in people's minds. If he fixes that (which he can, as in 2017 he was slotting them from everywhere) he becomes much better almost instantly.

It's very deflating for the team (I remember so many times at the MCG when the whole ground knew he'd miss the easy set shot from within 30 metres) when he takes an excellent 1v1 mark and nearly drops the ball onto his knee.

Just needs that composure to come as he can do things that most players can't. You could see him this year, especially towards the 2nd half of the year, realising how strong he is and taking the game on more. He's looking pretty fit at the moment going off pre-season photos so hopefully some more bursts through the midfield could be on the cards for 2020.
 

Topkent

Confirmed ITK Drafting King
Aug 29, 2010
61,053
84,965
Canada
AFL Club
Melbourne
Other Teams
Winnipeg Jets
I reckon his biggest issue was that he got between 15-22 disposals in all but 4 of his games. 2 above and 2 below.

His issue was everyone was waiting for him to be a superstar but at the moment he's a consistently good player.

If he had 6 games where he had 33 and kicked 5 but was s**t for 10 games people would probably think he had a better season
 
Apr 12, 2014
30,333
52,240
AFL Club
Melbourne
His set shot misses stick in people's minds. If he fixes that (which he can, as in 2017 he was slotting them from everywhere) he becomes much better almost instantly.

It's very deflating for the team (I remember so many times at the MCG when the whole ground knew he'd miss the easy set shot from within 30 metres) when he takes an excellent 1v1 mark and nearly drops the ball onto his knee.

Just needs that composure to come as he can do things that most players can't. You could see him this year, especially towards the 2nd half of the year, realising how strong he is and taking the game on more. He's looking pretty fit at the moment going off pre-season photos so hopefully some more bursts through the midfield could be on the cards for 2020.

The set shots were the worst part of his game in 2018 and 2019. If he'd kicked straight this year from those situations he would have probably almost won the B&F IMO
 

stEdy

Premiership Player
Nov 2, 2007
4,436
13,291
Melbourne
AFL Club
Melbourne
If we're ever going to compete for flags we need Petracca to turn into a bona fide A grader.

We've failed to turn most of our gifted players into stars over the years. That's why I'm against trading him, as it's players like these that you have to back yourself in to developing and he's still relatively young (and had an early ACL).
 

GatesOfHell

Club Legend
Oct 19, 2019
1,471
1,736
AFL Club
Melbourne
20 touches and a goal a game is passable but from a bloke with Petracca’s talent it’s really just phoning it in on autopilot.

2020 will be his sixth season. If he doesn’t make the jump from B to A grade output he likely never will. Still needs to shed 5kg and increase his fitness base by 20% or it won’t happen.

The fact that we’ve signed a guy like Harmes up ‘til 2023 yet are seemingly content to leave Petracca’s job security hanging says a fair bit.
 
20 touches and a goal a game is passable but from a bloke with Petracca’s talent it’s really just phoning it in on autopilot.

2020 will be his sixth season. If he doesn’t make the jump from B to A grade output he likely never will. Still needs to shed 5kg and increase his fitness base by 20% or it won’t happen.

The fact that we’ve signed a guy like Harmes up ‘til 2023 yet are seemingly content to leave Petracca’s job security hanging says a fair bit.
or maybe it is because Harmes knows he is at his peak value right now so he would be stupid not to sign a new deal and realistically he could have 18-24 ordinary months and be out of the AFL system.

Petracca on the other hand would be stupid to sign a long term deal knowing that his value is far from the max at the moment and if he has an ordinary 12-18 month another team will pick him up at worst
 

GatesOfHell

Club Legend
Oct 19, 2019
1,471
1,736
AFL Club
Melbourne
or maybe it is because Harmes knows he is at his peak value right now so he would be stupid not to sign a new deal and realistically he could have 18-24 ordinary months and be out of the AFL system.

Petracca on the other hand would be stupid to sign a long term deal knowing that his value is far from the max at the moment and if he has an ordinary 12-18 month another team will pick him up at worst

There are two other possibilities. He’s not as good as we (or he) thinks he is and his value stagnates, or worse still his knee collapses and his future is ripped out from under him. That can happen at any moment.

A lot to be said for job security.
 
I thought it was on good authority that he has re-signed, and it will be announced to coincide with a big membership push?

I heard this 6 months ago. Haven’t heard otherwise.

There are far worse in front of goal than Trac. I remember cursing Harmes a lot for missing sodas.
 
There are two other possibilities. He’s not as good as we (or he) thinks he is and his value stagnates, or worse still his knee collapses and his future is ripped out from under him. That can happen at any moment.

A lot to be said for job security.
If his value stagnates then he isn't going to lose money long term, is he?

If he signs a long term deal now and comes out a and has an AA year he has left big $$$'s on the table.
 

GatesOfHell

Club Legend
Oct 19, 2019
1,471
1,736
AFL Club
Melbourne
If his value stagnates then he isn't going to lose money long term, is he?

If he signs a long term deal now and comes out a and has an AA year he has left big $$$'s on the table.

And what if he does his knee running sprints first day of pre-season training? Things all still rosy?
 

stEdy

Premiership Player
Nov 2, 2007
4,436
13,291
Melbourne
AFL Club
Melbourne
I heard this 6 months ago. Haven’t heard otherwise.

There are far worse in front of goal than Trac. I remember cursing Harmes a lot for missing sodas.

Harmes did miss a fair few set shot sodas this year, but he's generally quite reliable/instinctive around goals.

Most of our players this year couldn't buy a goal. Or when it did click they went down injured (Tmac finally clicks, kicks 6 goals halfway through the third then does his knee lol)
 
And what if he does his knee running sprints first day of pre-season training? Things all still rosy?
He rehabs and comes back bigger and stronger.

It isn't like he will be delisted and never play again
 

GatesOfHell

Club Legend
Oct 19, 2019
1,471
1,736
AFL Club
Melbourne
He rehabs and comes back bigger and stronger.

Maybe, maybe not. No guarantees.

Put pen to paper however and he is guaranteed years and salary. I’m not sure why you’re pushing back against this logic. Any AFL player and player manager will tell you how valuable security of tenure is to them in a sport where injuries are commonplace.
 
Back