MITCHELL JOHNSON: Christian Petracca’s fallout with the Melbourne Demons speaks to wider issue in the AFL

As a former athlete, I naturally put myself in a player’s shoes when a high-profile dispute arises such as Melbourne star Christian Petracca’s attempt to be traded to a rival AFL club.

But there are just so many angles to this increasingly ugly case it’s hard to know where to start. I can see it from all sides and until Petracca directly outlines his reasons, it’s hard to know exactly what to make of it all.

He obviously feels let down by the club regarding the King’s Birthday game, when he was allowed to return to the field with a lacerated spleen, four broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Petracca ended up in hospital having emergency surgery, and now says he’s suffering from insomnia and is seeing a trauma psychologist to deal with the aftermath of his life-threatening injury.

It seems he believes his treatment was mismanaged and he feels let down. I would be asking plenty of questions as a player, too.

I don’t know where that relationship between player and club was before the injury but you could say it looked fine when both parties signed on until 2029 in 2021. I don’t think he signed that contract thinking about a trade just three years later.

Another element that has been reported is that Petracca partly wants out to get to a bigger club to improve his “personal brand”.

If that’s the case, it’s a horrible look and doesn’t show any loyalty to his current teammates. And if he does go elsewhere, you would think his new teammates might be questioning his commitment as well.

We’ve seen how the advent of the Indian Premier League and franchise cricket has had a huge impact on that sport. Cricketers have been drawn by the big dollars, but also the opportunity for increased profile and control over their careers.

Aussie rules has always been built on being the ultimate team game but if it’s starting to swing in favour of the individual, then the AFL and its clubs can share the blame.

The AFL seems very keen on Americanising the competition and players, coaches and officials are quick to take off to the United States on end-of-season trips to learn about how American sport works. Sport is really big business there – with business being the key word.

I’ve always thought how we played sport in Australia was the best way. We play tough but with dignity. We play fair and our integrity stood out. And as fans watching, we didn’t like the loud, in-your-face, individualised style of American sports. We had our own style.

Now it seems most Aussie sports are going this way, whether it be the AFL and its draft night or the way the Big Bash League is presented.

Maybe I’m overthinking it, but I feel a shift to the foundation of Australian sport.

Perhaps social media has driven the rise of the individual across society in general. Of course athletes should have some control, but ‘team’ and ‘integrity’ has worked for a long time.

It will be interesting to see how the Petracca situation gets resolved, particularly with murmurs other Melbourne players might be sick of him too.

I usually like the idea of sticking with what you signed – and that goes for both sides. But in this situation it almost feels like the Demons might have to take what they can get for Petracca during the trade period and move on.

Modern day athletes should have some control of their own careers. I’ve said that with cricket and I did in my own career.

Looking back at my journey as a professional cricketer, there comes a balance between having some control, being a team player and working together with your bosses. Tough, honest conversations still work.

In the end we all had the same goals – to be the best at what we did, be No.1 in all formats, be good people and learn every day.

I really hope Petracca can get over his trauma and leave all of this all behind him and get back to what he does best – playing great football. Regardless of which colours that is in.