Christian Petracca: Fremantle Dockers on track for top-four spot if they can land star Dee, says Scott Watters

Former St Kilda coach and Fremantle midfielder Scott Watters has forecast a top-four berth for the Dockers if they can entice Melbourne’s Christian Petracca to the club. It comes as the Demons confirmed Petracca had “expressed his desire to explore a fresh start” next year. Unlike 12 months ago when Petracca did not want to leave his home State, the Norm Smith medallist is believed to be open to a move to a non-Victorian club in contention. Watters has urged Fremantle to throw everything at Petracca, who is contracted to the end of 2029 with peak earnings of $1.7 million. “Fremantle is a great destination for Christian Petracca who need a big-bodied, explosive midfielder to support (Caleb) Serong, (Andrew) Brayshaw and (Hayden) Young,” Watters said. “With Petracca in the side they would almost be guaranteed top four in 2026. “The WA lifestyle could freshen him up. He’s 29. He could play another five or six years. “As well as that midfield role he could go forward. Imagine Petracca and Young rotating through the forward line?” Demons chief executive Paul Guerra confirmed in a letter to members on Tuesday that Petracca was exploring his options. “We met with Christian late last week where he expressed his desire to explore a fresh start,” Guerra said. “Christian is contracted for a further four years and is a once-in-a-generation player. With this in mind, any decision regarding Christian’s future will be made in the best interest of the Melbourne Football Club.” Adelaide is the front runner to secure Petracca, who flew into Adelaide for talks with the club, accompanied by his wife Bella and manager Anna Scullie on Monday after he was given clearance to explore a move. Petracca is also believed to have spoken with Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick. Complicating any pursuit of Petracca is the news his Melbourne teammate Judd McVee has told the Demons he wants to be traded to Fremantle. Melbourne is in the market for Gold Coast’s Sam Flanders and will be eyeing Fremantle’s pick 11 as part of a pick swap involving half-back McVee, which they can send to the Suns. The Dockers currently hold picks 11, 29, 38, 47 and 65, as well as future selections over the next two years at their disposal. The Crows are desperate to lure a big-bodied midfielder of Petracca’s ilk and hold pick No.14 in this year’s draft and as well as full draft hands in 2026 and 2027. A tweak to the trade rules this year means clubs can now ship off picks two years in advance. Watters, a former AFL coach with the Saints who also guided Subiaco to a WAFL flag and played a combined 109 AFL games with West Coast, Fremantle and Sydney, said the Dockers needed to take a hard edge to the off-season. “It’s time for Fremantle to be ruthless and Christian Petracca should be their number one target if they’re serious about winning a premiership,” he said. “Their build has been good but this is the most important off-season in Fremantle’s history if they are serious about that premiership. “Now is not the time for them to be conservative. “Now is the time to put all all your chips in and Christian Petracca is exactly the sort of player they need to win a premiership. “They’re not far away. They’re almost there, but they’re still not quite there. They are one or two players away. “He’s not at the end. They play to 35 these days and he does look after himself really well.” Fremantle football boss Joe Brierty earlier this month said the club’s first-round draft pick was up for grabs should the “right player” want to head west in a trade. “Yeah, it’s definitely up on the table if the right player’s available for us,” Brierty said. “All of those things play out in terms of where that pick is actually going to sit and the value that pick’s going to hold as well and what we think that’s important for us to do from the talent that’s available through the draft that might add value to our list,” Brierty said. “And talk about the impact that Murphy (Reid) had when he arrived at the club this year versus the opportunity to potentially bring talent in through the trade period and what that adds to us.” The trade period opens on October 6.