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How to tune into Sport NationLyon: Melbourne still holds the power in Petracca talks
Andrew Slevison • September 30th, 2025 11:38 am
Melbourne great Garry Lyon is maintaining that the Demons hold all the cards when it comes to Christian Petracca.
The Demons star was seen in Adelaide with his manager Anna Scullie and wife Bella on Monday after he was reportedly given the green light by his club to explore a move elsewhere.
Tom Morris suggests Petracca has undergone a medical with the Adelaide Crows and has also spoken with Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick in recent days.
Former Dees captain Lyon, amid all of the gesticulating, insists that Melbourne still holds the power even if the player has spoken to new senior coach Steven King about a possible exit.
He also referenced Essendon captain Zach Merrett and Carlton gun Charlie Curnow as other star players under contract who are looking to get out.
“My comment to all of this when the speculation is around - I’m not sure where Christian goes - but he has to sit down with the coach first of all and the two of them have to talk before anything else,” Lyon said on SEN Breakfast.
“If they’ve said ‘go and kick the tyres, there’s no guarantee we’re going to trade you, but if you want to kick the tyres’ I suggest the conversation has been had. I honestly don’t know the answer but you’d expect so.
“There must have been something within those conversations to show that Christian is still not settled at the football club.
“Having said all this, with Christian, with Zach (Merrett), with Charlie (Curnow) - good, go and kick the tyres.
“For Adelaide and it was reported he had spoken to Damien Hardwick. I would suggest any club should go and make a play now.
“As I’ve said all along, Melbourne have got the whip hand here. I’m a Melbourne supporter, if there’s not a deal that suits Melbourne then Christian plays for Melbourne. I’m happy with that, I’m happy with him going back in there.”
Co-host Tim Watson suggested that perhaps the player managers are the ones with the power.
“What if his manager says, ‘ok, you’re going to block this, I’ve got this other player at your club and we’re going to be talking about him in 12 months’ time, the deal and the negotiation might become very difficult, I need a favour in part from you right now, then I will then help you as best I possibly can’,” Watson floated.
“Everything is a negotiation. It’s a negotiation with the managers and they are very powerful in the game.
“They’ve got players, they can help you keep a player, they can help you recruit a player.”
But Lyon would hope those making list management decisions at the club are strong enough to stand up for themselves.
“Horse trading. I’m sure it happens, I know it happens,” Lyon said.
“Well, stand up, stand up to the managers. Don’t be weak-kneed, lily-livered. Stand up and do what’s right for your club.”
Lyon continued: “They (managers) can get you into a deal that now has you wanting to walk out of your footy club.
“These managers were there with them - Christian’s hasn’t, he changed his - but they were there telling them this is the best for you. ‘Sign this seven-year deal, it will secure your future, look at the things you can put in place, you can invest well, this will be great’.
“Then two years later they go, ‘come on, I’ll get you out’.”
Plenty of speculation took place on Trade Radio on Monday afternoon after it was reported that Petracca had been in Adelaide.
What would get a deal done? Pick 14 and a future first-round draft trick was floated by Liam Pickering and Cam Luke, while Josh Jenkins and Brad Johnson threw some Crows players in including Josh Rachele and Luke Pedlar.
There is plenty to play out in the Petracca space.
