Two footy greats are torn after the Western Bulldogs opted against tagging Christian Petracca and suffered at the hands of his domination in the grand final rematch.
Just as he’d done in last year’s decider at Perth Stadium, the reigning Norm Smith medallist destroyed the Dogs as he led the Demons to a 26-point win at the MCG on Wednesday night.
Petracca racked up 38 possessions (16 contested) and two goals as Melbourne carved out a 14.13 (97) to 11.5 (71) victory in the first game of the season.
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The 26-year-old was the catalyst behind a Demons resurgence after the Dogs ran in eight goals in succession across the first and second terms.
It prompted Demons legend Garry Lyon to ask why the Dogs didn’t clamp Petracca in an attempt to quell his influence.
“You as a forward … walk around with company all day,” Lyon said to Brisbane Lions icon Jonathan Brown on Fox Footy after the match.
“Arm across, fist in back, one coming back into your space, as well.
“There’s a player you’ve just put in the (Nathan) Buckley and the (Michael) Voss category in terms of where he’s going, walking around the ground on his own.
“Don’t get beaten by what you know.
“Has he been tested physically? Is there room for that?
“Does it take too much away from the way you play?”
Brown shot back an argument.
“He’s just going so well at the moment (that) I don’t think you can stop him,” Brown reasoned.
“So, I think teams now are just going to back in their system.
“(Josh) Dunkley may have tried for periods in the grand final, but I’m looking at the Bulldogs tonight and going, ‘Who’s going to do it? Who’s going to stop Petracca?'”
Lyon had a man in mind.
“Fifteen minutes of Libba (Tom Liberatore) just going nuts on him,” Lyon quipped.
But Brown again disagreed
“Look at Libba,” Brown said.
“Libba’s a small midfielder.
“Mate, he’s going to bully him, he’s going to bully him.”
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