Melbourne Demons great Nathan Jones backs review for embattled club
“Frustrated” Melbourne great Nathan Jones believes the club should open itself up to an external review in the wake of superstar Christian Petracca considering his future with the Demons.
Petracca, who is contracted until the end of 2029, eased tensions with the club on the weekend when he allowed his name to be on a statement saying he “remains committed” to Melbourne.
The 28-year-old would have seriously considered opting out this off-season had there been a viable option to be traded from Melbourne to a powerhouse Victorian club.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Petracca’s preferred alternative clubs, Collingwood and Carlton, simply did not have anywhere near enough assets to secure a player of his calibre.
The saga was another grim chapter to a rocky 12 months for the Demons, who missed finals for the first time since 2020.
It has been a concerning decline for Melbourne since their drought-breaking 2021 premiership, bombing out of the 2022 and 2023 finals in straight sets.
Petracca’s disgruntlement was just another issue for Demons hierarchy to deal with, less than 12 months after weighing up whether to let go fellow star midfielder Clayton Oliver due to concerns over off-field issues.
Melbourne forward Joel Smith has been provisionally suspended since last October, when he was notified of a positive cocaine test after the Demons’ win over Hawthorn in August.
Jones, who retired in 2021 after 302 games, many during a dismal on-field period for the club, believed it was time for Melbourne’s board to act.
“I’ve felt frustrated, particularly for the senior players over the last probably 12-to-18 months, just from a PR and narrative point of view,” the former Demons captain told SEN on Tuesday.
“It’s been frustrating, and in some ways, let those senior boys down to a certain degree.
“That (an external review) would be worthwhile, if there’s nothing to hide, I think it would beneficial, particularly from a public perspective, there’s the advantages in doing that.
“It’s nice to see ‘Trac’ (Petracca) come out and commit, and hopefully even off the back of this ... instigate some change and Melbourne can kind of redirect and start flying straight again and hopefully be back in contention next season.”
