Source : the age
Christian Petracca’s hamstring injury will not only hurt Gold Coast, it will also impact his former club’s bottom line after an afternoon of carnage at the MCG on Saturday.
The Suns, led by an equal career-high seven goals from Ben King, posted a 68-point win over Richmond, but it’s the injury toll to both teams that will dominate headlines.
While the Tigers lost both veteran forward Tom Lynch and skipper Toby Nankervis to hamstring strains, it was Petracca’s injury that will have the greatest ramification this early in the season.
He was hurt in the third term when tackled from behind by James Trezise. He left the field proppy, and was soon seen on the bench with ice strapped to his right hamstring. The full extent of the injury will be known after scans.
The Norm Smith Medal-winning former Demon, 30, had been one of the best afield, racking up 20 disposals and 285 metres gained.
The Suns have the bye next week, and then will meet the Demons on a Sunday afternoon at the MCG.
Petracca will be remembered as a great of the Melbourne Football Club but he had a tumultuous final two years at the club before his departure in last year’s trade period.
The Demons are expecting a bumper crowd of between 40,000 and 50,000 if Petracca plays, a club spokesman estimated on Saturday. This would be a welcome bump for their finances. But, without Petracca, the expected attendance is likely to take a significant dip.
The Tigers will be without Lynch and Nankervis after the former was hurt in the second term, and the latter in the third. Lynch left the field after clutching high up on the back of his leg after having a direct hand in a Nick Vlastuin goal.
Coach Adem Yze said it was the first time the champion goalkicker had injured his right hamstring.
Without their veteran forward to kick to, the Tigers appeared almost rudderless, their pressure in the contest dropping considerably. Lynch’s absence allowed the Suns’ defenders to counter-attack more, the Suns finishing on a six-goal tear, to take a 31-point lead into the main break.
Their game is built on over-lap run, and that was evident in the superb finish to the term.
King, Joel Jeffrey, Will Graham and Ethan Read, the latter given the nod ahead of recruit Jamarra Ugle-Hagan to start the season, were all influential throughout the afternoon.
Midfielder Touk Miller was best afield with his run and carry through the midfield.
“It was a really good win,” King said.
Veteran Tiger Jayden Short found plenty of the ball, while youngster Sam Lalor showed flashes of brilliance.
In a year when the Suns are expected to be a premiership contender, they now have three straight wins by 50 points or more for the first time in their history.
That’s all we have for you tonight.
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Disappointed Demons coach Steven King wants his players to learn from their poor start against Fremantle tonight.
“You can’t give a team like that a 42-point head start,” King said.
“They were cleaner and harder than us from the start, and we just gave them territory and our fundamentals weren’t on point.
“Clearly, the way we want to play is not embedded yet. I’m really pleased with the group to not capitulate and throw the towel in. At quarter-time, things could have got ugly.
“This was a steep learning curve for our young players on playing on the road.”
King said key defender Daniel Turner had injured his hand and it had swelled up, but he didn’t yet know the extent of the injury.
As much Patrick Voss has created some laughs with his antics tonight, Fox Footy analyst David King believes Voss crossed the line with a sledge at quarter-time.
Voss had a run-in with Demons defender Harrison Petty, where he patted the player on the top of his head and then made crying gesture.
Voss wasn’t asked about the incident while on air, but Petty was left emotional following a sledge from Brisbane Lions star Dayne Zorko in 2022. The now two-time premiership player apologised for going too far with his sledging.
It’s not clear if Voss was referring to that matter, or something else.
Dockers star Patrick Voss admits he was carrying on for the crowd when he picked up and carried Dees midfielder Ed Langdon during the final term.
“I don’t know what I was doing or thinking,” Voss told Fox Footy.
“I got him on the shoulder and realised he was up there, so I took a few steps. We were both having a laugh in the end – it was good fun, and he took it pretty well.”
When pressed by Jack Riewoldt about him responding to the cheers of the crowd, Voss admitted he did.
“A little bit. I did hear the crowd go up, so I thought I would keep him up there for another second or two,” Voss said with a laugh.
Fremantle star Josh Treacy doubts teammate Patrick Voss could explain what he was thinking when he carried Demons opponent Ed Langdon above his head in the final term tonight.
“I don’t think he knows what was going on there, and I don’t think he could answer you [about what that was],” Treacy told Fox Footy.
“Maybe he heard the crowd giving it to him? I think it was a bit of carry on there. I reckon he heard the crowd. There was a bit of carry on there.”
Fremantle star Andrew Brayhaw has given debutant Chris Scerri a huge wrap, predicting he will play plenty more years of AFL footy.
Scerri had 20 disposals in his first game since crossing to the Dockers from the Northern Bullants and Strathmore.
“He’s a gun,” Brayshaw told Fox Footy.
“He comes from a very good family. He’s got such a big crew here tonight. He looked really composed, and was ready to go at this level. He will be here for a while, I reckon.”
The Dockers have comfortably taken the points over the Demons but the visitors can take something from winning the last term as they kept the home side to just one goal.
But the Dockers dominated the match as a whole and showed they have a team stacked with line-breakers and potential match-winners.
Josh Treacy was superb for the Dockers – he just missed kicking his fifth goal with a late shot from the boundary.
The Dees need a freshen up now, while the Dockers march forward in what is shaping as a very promising season.
Dockers forward Patrick “the Prancing Pony” Voss has been up to his usual tricks and playing up to the crowd throughout this match, with an impressive goal and some typically physical play.
Now the former Bomber has picked up Ed Langdon and put him over his shoulder after the Dees wingman tried to tackle him.
It was as ridiculous as it was hilarious.
The Dees and Langdon had a little laugh about it too, although Christian Salem stepped in and told Voss to put him down and stop the silliness.
Freo 110, Dees 56 with 12 minutes to go.
