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Christian Petracca has made it clear he wants to be Tigers champion Dustin Martinâs successor as he led Melbourne to a dominant victory over the reigning premiers to stamp the Demons as a genuine premiership contender.
He was the most powerful player on the ground in the second half, while Martin had one of the quietest nights of his career, before being concussed in a marking contest in the third quarter.
Christian Petracca is congratulated by Alex Neal-Bullen after kicking a goal for the Demons in their win over the Tigers.
Credit:Getty Images
The knock means Martin will miss next Friday nightâs huge match against the undefeated Western Bulldogs.
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LEVER: ‘WE’RE HERE TO WIN’
March 3, 2021 12:06 pm
By Conor Walsh
Melbourne defender Jake Lever says the side’s 11-point practice match victory over Richmond last week was a statement that the Demons mean business in 2021.
Melbourne failed to make the finals last year for the second season on the trot since claiming a preliminary final berth in 2018, but Lever is excited about what lies ahead for the club this year.
The key back – who recently signed a three-year contract extension with the Demons – said the team was keen to show its intent against the Tigers heading into the fast-approaching home and away season.
Who s fighting for survival and who s flying toward a new deal in 2021? A Set the default text size A Set large text size
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The 2020 season brought about more challenges than bear thinking about, and when the announcement of list cuts came through the stratosphere more than a few players in the competition were nervous.
In 2021 more players are under the pump than ever before, so here I’ve identified a player from each club who’s fighting for a new deal in 2021 and those are out of contract in 2021 flying towards a new deal.