Christian Petracca reveals horror details of ‘traumatic’ internal injuries: ‘I don’t wish this on my worst enemy’

Melbourne midfielder Christian Petracca has spoken publicly for the first time since undergoing a ‘pretty traumatic’ surgery on shocking injuries including a lacerated spleen.

The 28-year-old midfielder is recovering at home after surgery to repair four broken ribs, a punctured lung and a lacerated spleen, sustained in a marking contest during the King’s Birthday loss to Collingwood.

Petracca’s season is now over and admits that right now there’s ‘a lot of self-doubt’ about his future. 

‘I’ve been better… it’s been pretty traumatic, four or five days in ICU and the last couple of days were just in the ward, now I’m out of hospital which is nice, I’m at home,’ Petracca told Nova’s Jase & Lauren.

The midfielder says he wouldn’t wish the injuries upon his worst enemy

‘It’s been pretty full on, I don’t wish this on my worst enemy.’

‘I knew (Darcy Moore) hit me good … but I didn’t realise the severity of it until 2am (the next morning) when I was gassed up and they were doing surgery with my eyes open.

‘I just thought it was a couple of cracked ribs, which is serious, but I thought I could go back and play.’

Petracca controversially returned to the field after being injured before he was subbed out of the game for good at halftime.

‘I don’t think people understand when you’re out there playing, you just want to go out and compete as an athlete, as a competitor … you’re on adrenaline, you don’t really know what’s going on, had I known now the severity of it I obviously wouldn’t have gone back out there,’ Petracca explained.

‘At the time, I thought and we thought it was a cracked rib, a couple cracked ribs, (I) wanted to go out there and play and compete.’

The 2021 Norm Smith medallist said Moore had reached out to check in on his condition several times since the collision on the weekend.

Petracca says he didn’t understand the full extent of his injuries until the following day

 ‘I watched a little bit of footy on the weekend, I had to turn it off. Even a simple tackle, you put yourself back in the situation you were. So of course, at the moment it’s quite raw,’ he said.

‘I’ll be able to get back to the player I was, just at the moment it’s a lot of self doubt which is fine, it’s a natural feeling.’