Christian Petracca has confirmed that his family have been left ‘frustrated’ over the situation he’s found himself in, but denied reports there’s any anger directed at the Melbourne Demons. Petracca is continuing to recover at home after suffering broken ribs, a lacerated spleen and punctured lung, and won’t play again this season.
Reports emerged last week that Petracca’s family weren’t happy with the club over their handling of his injuries, after he was allowed to return to the field before the full extent was known. But speaking on AFL 360 on Tuesday night, the 28-year-old dismissed that theory.
Christian Petracca with his mum and fiancee.
Christian Petracca has denied reports his family and fiancee are angry at the Melbourne Demons. Image: Channel 7/Getty
Petracca admitted there was a “degree of frustration”, but said: “During the situation, it was heightened emotion for everyone – not just my family, but my fiancée and myself. What you’ve got to understand is that my parents and my fiancée were the only people that could see me in ICU. There’s probably a little degree of frustration and emotion to it because they’re the only ones that knew the severity of the injury … and they saw me (and) that I needed blood transfusions at 2am.
, of course if I had a son or brother in the same situation, I’d be feeling a range of emotions – frustration, disappointment – anything, to be honest. It was a very stressful time for everyone.”
Christian Petracca.
Christian Petracca suffered fractured ribs, a ruptured spleen and punctured lung. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Petracca admitted he was enjoying the extra time spent with fiancee Bella at home, with visitors limited because he still needs to be in isolation. Because he needed surgery on his spleen, he’s had to have all his vaccinations again and is at increased risk of infection.
“In the first 10 days, I hadn’t seen anyone other than my parents and my fiancée,” he said. “It’s been a little frustrating, but also kind of nice to have some alone time with my fiancée and chill out and switch off from the world.”
“It was just a very stressful time for everyone.”
Petracca on how his family responded to his injury.
Christian Petracca gets emotional over ‘traumatic’ time
The Demons star broke down in tears as he opened up on his ‘traumatic’ experience. “(I’m feeling) better, to be honest,” he said. “I think the last four or five days I’ve had a bit of consistency with my days. The first few weeks were pretty traumatic, to be honest, I’m not going to lie – ICU, into a ward and then in and out of hospital.
“I got rushed back into hospital about a week ago early in the morning for a few check-ups – I woke up just with a few complaints and went straight to hospital. It’s been quite stressful, it’s something I’ve never experienced. My first year I did my ACL, and I was a bit young and naive and brash and didn’t understand the severity of the injury. Now, at 28, it’s a lot different. There (are) days where you feel great, there’s days where you don’t feel great – and that’s just rehab and the recovery process I’m going to have to deal with for however long it is.”
As for the decision to go back on the field, Petracca doesn’t hold any ill-will towards the club’s doctors or staff. “Hindsight’s a great thing,” he said. “Had we known it was a grade five spleen and four fractured ribs, I don’t think anyone would have let me back on the field – and neither myself, to be honest.
“I’m a competitor – I want to go back out there and try and compete. There’s so much adrenaline going through the situation – 85,000 people (watching), playing against Collingwood in a big game – I think, in that situation, had I known it was a grade five spleen, there’s no way in hell I’d be going back out there, because we didn’t understand the severity of the injury at the time.”
