Melbourne premiership midfielder Christian Petracca wants to be traded to the Gold Coast Suns.
The 29-year-old Norm Smith medallist met with the Gold Coast on Thursday after both the Demons and Petracca decided he should explore his options during the trade period.
A competition source with knowledge of the situation, who preferred to remain anonymous, said Petracca had decided he wanted to join the Suns.
Petracca also met with Adelaide on Monday in a hastily arranged catch-up after it only became clear late last week Melbourne wanted to release the champion midfielder who still has four years remaining on his contract.
Petracca was impressed with the pitches presented by both clubs but decided on the Suns after being shown around the Gold Coast facilities on Thursday. The Crows had already baulked at adding an extra season to his current deal, which expires at the end of 2029, and it was clear a trade between them and Melbourne was going to be difficult. The Suns have more options to do the trade, even with the Demons aiming to clear his contract from their books.
Petracca has been a champion at Melbourne after being pick No.2 in the 2014 national draft.
He had a knee reconstruction before he played his first match but was the key player during the Demons’ surge to a drought-breaking flag in 2021, when he was best on ground in the grand final.
He has won two club best and fairest awards and is a four time All-Australian. However he became disillusioned with the club at the end of 2024 after he suffered horrific injuries during the King’s Birthday clash that year.
Petracca is regarded as one of the most dedicated and professional players in the game, however he has needed to continually work on his commitment to team aspects as his frustration on field can spill over at times.
The two clubs will now need to make a trade. The Demons interest in Suns Sam Flanders and Bailey Humphrey could help them execute a deal.
The Suns are open to trading Flanders, who also has interest from St Kilda and Essendon, but not Humphrey, who is contracted until 2028.
Melbourne’s willingness to trade Petracca is part of a club strategy to move beyond their premiership era under new coach Steven King, with the Demons also asking contracted premiership players Clayton Oliver and Steven May to be traded.
Blues learn of Silvagni compensation
St Kilda-bound pair Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni lodged the paperwork for their cross-town move from Carlton as free agents on Friday morning, with the Blues to gain a pick at the end of the first round of next month’s national draft for the loss of Silvagni.
The duo were among the first players to officially exercise their rights when the free agency window opened, according to the AFL.
Silvagni declared his intention to join the Ross Lyon-coached side last month and will complete a straightforward move as an unrestricted free agent.
Carlton’s list management chief Nick Austin said the compensation pick they would get for losing Silvagni was welcome. At this stage, it equates to pick No.19, but that number is expected to blowout as clubs insert themselves higher in the draft order by exercising their rights to select players in their academies or father-son selections.
“Acquiring a first-round selection puts our club in a good position as we look to add quality talent to our playing list,” Austin said via a club statement.
The Blues are not expected to exercise their right to match St Kilda’s monster eight-year contract offer to restricted free agent De Koning, but have three more days to decide, and did not comment on that matter on Friday.
In other free agency moves, Hawthorn can now assess if it wants to match Geelong’s four-year offer to star midfielder James Worpel, who is also a restricted free agent.
Melbourne premiership player Charlie Spargo (North Melbourne) and GWS defender Jacob Wehr (Port Adelaide) are set to find new clubs as unrestricted free agents.
Back-to-back premiers Brisbane are set to strengthen their list with the addition of Essendon ruckman Sam Draper and West Coast forward Oscar Allen.
Collingwood forward Brody Mihocek is weighing interest from Melbourne, while Gold Coast midfielder Brayden Fiorini has a choice between Essendon, Port Adelaide and the Suns.
The free agency period runs until October 10. The trade period overlaps, running from October 6-15.– with AAP
Get daily updates on all the AFL trade period action. Sign up for our Real Footy newsletter.
