CHRISTIAN Petracca will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2024 AFL home-and-away season, following injury sustained in Melbourne’s Round 13 match against Collingwood on Monday.

Petracca, who suffered four broken ribs and a lacerated spleen in a collision during the opening term, has been recovering in hospital in the days since, with doctors today providing an update on his condition.

Following medical advice, Petracca will be unable to return to contact training for a minimum of 12 weeks, meaning the Demons midfielder will only be eligible to return to training during the AFL finals series. 

Petracca has recently been moved out of the ICU and to a general ward, where he remains in good spirits despite the unfortunate news.