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Melbourne superstar Christian Petracca has set his sights on returning for the Demons in round one next year following some horrific injuries.
Melbourne superstar Christian Petracca insists the tough conversations had at the Demons after their horror season can spearhead their rise back up the ladder.
In his first interview since reports broke of his unhappiness at the club, Petracca has declared he will be ready to go for day one of pre-season.
The 2021 Norm Smith medallist will skip Melbourne's best-and-fairest night so he can attend a Red Bull training camp in Austria.
Petracca has been recovering from season-ending injuries - a lacerated spleen, punctured lung and four broken ribs - when he was crunched by an accidental knee from Collingwood captain Darcy Moore during a match in June.
Not only did the incident take a toll on him physically, but mentally as well, prompting him to weigh up his future at Melbourne.
But Petracca, who is contracted at Melbourne until the end of 2029, last month committed to staying at the Demons when he was quoted in a statement from the club.
Before the 28-year-old heads overseas, he sat down with Melbourne's media team for a recorded interview.
"The conversations I've had over the past two or three months with the club have been really healthy," Petracca said.
"We've had really robust discussions. I think that's awesome.
"Like any workplace or any footy club, you have these conversations throughout the year and you just want to make the environment a really good one that we love coming to work.
"We're trying to create something that's really special for our fans.
"Even for ourselves as players, we don't want to be missing finals.
"As much as it's a disappointment this year and we're frustrated by that as players and fans, no doubt next year it's going to hold us in good stead."
Petracca played 145 consecutive games before his horrific injuries on the King's Birthday holiday, but is intent on returning for the Demons' first game of 2025.
"I'm really looking forward to day one of pre-season, especially with my injury and probably prioritising that at the moment and trying to get myself back both mentally and physically to the player and person I was," he said.
"I want to be able to compete and get back out on the 'G (MCG) in round one for the fans and be really excited to run back out there."
Petracca's disgruntlement led to Melbourne president Kate Roffey exiting, with reviews of the board and the football department underway to determine how the Demons slumped from a regular premiership contender.
