Melbourne skipper Max Gawn has admitted to giving teammate Christian Petracca a spray, just moments before the star midfielder was taken off the ground and rushed to hospital with terrifying internal injuries.
The 2021 premiership winner had surgery last week to repair four broken ribs, lacerations to the spleen and a punctured lung after an incident in the Demons’ 38-point loss to Collingwood in round 13.
Petracca went back onto the field and played until he was eventually removed from the match and rushed to hospital, where the extent of his injuries were revealed.
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After spending some time in the ICU, Petracca took to Instagram to confirm that his season was officially over.
Gawn has now opened up on the communication between the pair that occurred on field, after Petracca elected to put himself back into the game.
“He actually came out in the second quarter, and he put in not the best effort I’ve seen Trac (Petracca) put in,” Gawn said on Triple M’s Marty Sheargold Show on Tuesday.
“And I went and had a word to him and now there’s real egg on my face. He was out there dying. I was telling him to lift! I’ve apologised to him since.”
Despite his own blunder, which the pair have since laughed off, Gawn has defended the operations of Petracca and the club in managing the injury.
“He looked in a lot of pain. To be fair, I’ve seen people with a cracked ribbed and they are in as much pain,” Gawn said.
“I’m presuming it was very difficult to diagnose that it was a genuine internal injury.
“No one is allowed to see him. He’s going well. No one is allowed to see him because of his immune system – spleen related.”
As for what happens if September comes knocking, Gawn is adamant he won’t be the one to break the bad news to Petracca that he won’t be able to play.
“All I know is we don’t have him for a long time. I daresay if we’re in the pointy end – I’m talking prelim or grand final – it’s going to be hard to say he can’t play,” he said.
It comes after Caroline Wilson revealed that Petracca’s family were unhappy with the way in which his serious injuries were managed.
“Absolutely (they were upset) and frustrated at the club,” Wilson revealed on Nine’s Footy Classified on Monday night.
“I think it’s more what happened in the days that followed. There was certainly a feeling from the Petracca family the club could’ve done things better.
“I think Melbourne are very worried. This is such a sensitive issue and nobody wants to go on the record. Whether it’s the Petracca side or the club side.
“I think it all dates back to the decision to put him back on the ground.”
The Demons, now without Petracca for the rest of the year, sit in 11th on the ladder with a 7-6 record.
They’ll face off against the Kangaroos in round 15.