Phil Davis unpacks how Petracca's injury could have led to mutual frustration at Demonland

Phil Davis empathises with Christian Petracca and can understand the frustration that has revolved around him at Melbourne this year.

It’s been reported that his teammates expressed some frustrations with Petracca, who went interstate for some time off following his season-ending spleen injury earlier in the season.

Davis believes the frustration would have been born out of AFL clubs’ desire to keep information in-house, meaning even the Dees’ playing group would have been kept in the dark regarding the extent of Petracca’s issues.

The former GWS skipper suffered a ruptured kidney in Round 1 of the 2014 season and spent significant time away from the club.

He told the story on SEN’s Whateley and explained how few people actually knew what was going on.

“I played and I was in immense pain, but I thought I’d just broken a couple of ribs and I was okay and this is where the whole discussion, I think, is unfair on Melbourne,” Davis said.

“I was in so much pain, but all the diagnosis they could do is ‘oh, we think you’ve broken your bottom three ribs’, and I was like ‘oh, is it safe’ and I went back out there and I was sore.

“But like, I made that decision. If I had all the information would I have gone back out there? No way. Would the club have let me? Definitely not, but you’re working with imperfect information.

“I remember it. I couldn’t breathe. I was exhausted the whole time. I spent eight days in ICU and another week in hospital and that was some of the scariest time of my life.

“They thought I was okay because you stabilise, my blood pressure got to normal and I was sitting in this hospital bed and it’s like bang – I turned over 800ML of blood and then it’s go time, emergency, code blue, it was crazy. It rocked me for ages.

“And because we live in a world of trying to control information, nobody knew. I was living with Adam Tomlinson at the time and he was the only player at the club who knew how much strife I was in.

“They didn’t tell anyone because it was easier to keep it in-house. I didn’t go to the club for a month and I don’t think they ever really knew how bad it was. Adam was the only one who knew.

“So I can see how this situation unfolds and I can empathise with Christian. My psych said it’s genuinely trauma. It’s interesting how it works and he would’ve had a tough time.

“And he has other frustrations with the club which I can understand. So if you’re voicing those plus you’ve been away, it’s an easy spiral to go down.

“We’re very strange with information at footy clubs. I’m surprised they didn’t come out and say he was going through a time tough and needed some leave.

“I’m surprised he didn’t go overseas for 12 weeks. He’s not needed at the club, he’s been through a horrific ordeal because it would’ve been triggering to be around the footy club at the time I would’ve thought.

“I can see it as a teammate where you’re like ‘we’re trying to fight for finals here, where is he? He’s just injured and checked out’. You need to know the whole story.

“It all comes down to one thing and it’s something clubs need to get better at and it’s communication and transparency. People aren’t silly. That’s where cracks can form.”

Petracca is reportedly frustrated with the club and its direction this year, dealing with a multitude of off-field issues and set to miss finals.