The decision-making of Melbourne’s medical staff has been questioned following the call to allow Christian Petracca to continue to play against the Magpies despite serious injuries.
In the Dees’ King’s Birthday defeat to Collingwood, Petracca was the victim of a hefty Darcy Moore knee to the ribcage, leaving him with four broken ribs, a lacerated spleen and a partially punctured lung.
While his return-to-play timeline is presently unknown, it’s expected the superstar midfielder-forward is set for a lengthy lay-off.
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Despite going into the rooms at quarter-time hunched over and evidently in pain, Petracca was allowed to re-enter play in the second stanza before acknowledging shortly after that he couldn’t take any further part.
“This is ‘Dipper’ and ‘Derm’ territory, isn’t it?” Gerard Whateley posed to Mark Robinson on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 on Tuesday night.
“That was the first thing I thought of yesterday,” Robinson responded. “There (are) so many layers to this. When he got hit, every player is going to say; ‘I will be right, just let me deal with it’.
“Painkillers, adrenaline, a mixture of both, ‘let me test it and see how I’m going’.
“I think, in the cold, hard light today of what we now know, that was the wrong decision; to send him back out there. I can understand why they tried, but in hindsight, it was the wrong decision, and that’s been proven today.”
The 28-year-old was deployed forward of the ball in the second quarter but wasn’t able to exert his typical influence, captured grimacing after contact or even basic movements.
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“It is a hard position to defend,” Whateley said of Melbourne’s call to allow him to resume.
“I do know the reporting tonight has the AFL Medical Officer comfortable with the processes that Melbourne adopted.
“That escapes me. I’m not quite sure how you could be comfortable not knowing what the damage was and subsequently learning in hindsight, and having a player go back out there on the field in that condition.
“Melbourne’s statement (on Tuesday) was conspicuous for not addressing any of what transpired, but all about the ‘what happens next’ with the welfare.”
In the Demons’ statement, football boss Alan Richardson outlined the club’s next steps with regards to Petracca’s recovery.
“Obviously, Christian’s health is the number one priority for us at the moment,” Richardson said.
“The next few weeks will be crucial, and we’ll be monitoring his progress closely to make sure he heals properly and fully. As his recovery progresses, we will look towards a return to play timeline.
“He’s obviously an extremely important player for the team, but his health and recovery are our top priorities right now.”
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Robinson didn’t think that was sufficient.
“I think we require some transparency (about) what happened behind closed doors,” he said.
“Were you giving him injections? Was it a feel test? Was it a verbal test? How much say does Christian Petracca have? Who’s got the most say, the doctor or Petracca?
“Because, at the moment, we think it’s Petracca. His voice carried the most weight downstairs in the rooms.”
Whateley pondered whether the doctors involved in the decision-making process regretted their decision.
“The risk assessment, I imagine that the medical staff was mortified to learn what the actual injuries were later in the night,” he said.
“There is a question around what the overall procedures are — what specifically is done — then there’s what specifically isn’t done? And whether this is a moment in time to go ‘OK, this is built on bravery’.
“You have to have the debate in the cold light of day … What sort of risks were taken here (unknowingly)?”
Robinson didn’t want to heap on the Demons’ medical staff but wondered similar to his co-host.
“I don’t think it’s right for anyone to question the medical people at Melbourne,” he said.
“But I wonder, last night, when they (the doctors) went to bed, did they ask themselves ‘were we strong enough at that time?’
“But I wonder if the doctors have said to themselves ‘we should’ve been stronger in the moment’.
“The AFL’s cleared it off — they would not have allowed the day to go on without, I think, having a thorough review of how Melbourne handled that situation.”
Whateley agreed: “Once you approve the procedures as they are, then you actually have to pose questions ‘well, is that how the procedures should be going forward?’
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Of Petracca’s imminent sideline stint, Whateley said: “It’s going to be months, rather than weeks, in all likelihood.”
Robinson wasn’t optimistic about a Petracca-less Melbourne outfit as it battles for a finals seed, currently sitting outside the finals picture but tied on 28 premiership points with eighth-placed GWS.
“They couldn’t do it with Christian Petracca, now (they’ve) got to do it without Christian Petracca,” Robinson said.
“I think they’re done. I think they can’t win it, now that Petracca’s going to be out … let’s (say) six weeks, minimum six weeks. He’s a great player, he might not take too long to get back into it, but where’s Melbourne’s season going to be in six weeks’ time?
“As ‘Kingy’ (David King) said (on Monday), when Petracca walked off the field last night, I think their season walked off with him.”
Melbourne’s second bye of the season in this weekend, before Simon Goodwin’s brigade hosts North Melbourne in Round 15.