Christian Petracca has given the strongest indication yet he is committed to the troubled Gold Coast Suns, meeting with childhood hero turned future teammate Scott Pendlebury on Thursday.
The former Melbourne star began his first season at the Suns in blistering form but his form sunk and the Suns collapsed, dropping 10 straight games to fall out of AFL finals contention — and reports of tensions between players and coaches followed.
Three clubs then told 7NEWS Melbourne’s Xander McGuire they believed there was an “openness” between Petracca and Gold Coast “to explore other options going forward”.
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Petracca’s public view is that he was happy at the Suns while senior club officials did not respond to questions about the situation.
But the 2021 premiership player is ready to move on from the speculation.
Petracca talked all things Gold Coast with Pendlebury at a Toorak cafe and were “happy to chat, too”, Tom Morris reported on 7NEWS.
“Pendlebury said he’s happy to be joining the Suns, he’s just been up there checking out houses and where to live,” Morris said.
“But Petracca’s really the story.
“He confirmed he has no intention of going and he said he’s happy living there and also more than happy to play for the Suns for the next few years, so we can put that one to bed.”
In further positive news for the Suns, Morris reported their Brownlow medallist Matt Rowell “won’t be going anywhere” despite being linked to the Western Bulldogs.
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is “highly likely” to sign a one-year deal to stick with Gold Coast despite playing just three AFL games in his first season with the club.
The key forward kicked 26 goals in 11 VFL games for the Suns.
He could be set for more opportunities at senior level next year with Gold Coast’s leading goalkicker Ben King on his way to Hawthorn in the coming weeks.
The Petracca speculation came after an enormously disappointing end to the Suns’ season.
The Suns torched Geelong in Opening Round and sat fourth on the ladder after racing out to a 7-3 record.
The wheels then fell off in a big way and coach Damien Hardwick, furious with a 79-point loss to Adelaide, wrote off their season in July despite sitting only one game of a wildcard spot.
He apologised to the players for his “overly emotional” reaction but Gold Coast could only beat GWS and St Kilda in their last six games.
Petracca’s form will be crucial to their hopes of bouncing back next year.
Hardwick addressed his star recruit’s form slump after a Round 23 loss to Brisbane in which Petracca looked a shadow of himself with just 12 disposals.
“He’s had a bit of a downturn in form,” Hardwick said.
“I’ve got to find how I can best use him, and it’s up to me to figure it out.
“We’ve had some really good conversations, he will do whatever I want for the benefit of the team.
“His legacy to me is to help us change the fortunes of the Gold Coast Suns, and he’s pulling his part in that.
“I think I’ve got to get better at utilising him to his absolute strengths. I haven’t found that right lever yet. We had it at the start of the year, but it’s drifted off a bit.”