Max Gawn denies Christian Petracca trade, but declares 'fractures' building at Melbourne

Despite Melbourne skipper Max Gawn declaring there are "fractures" in his playing group with the club missing finals, he has denied star midfielder Christian Petracca wants a trade out of the club.

It follows reports that Petracca addressed the playing group on Monday, clarifying his extended break in Noosa, his terrifying season-ending injuries suffered in round 13, as well as growing trade speculation.

It also comes after suggestions that Petracca had become "disgruntled" and "disillusioned" with the club.

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He suffered terrifying season-ending injuries against Collingwood back in June, admitting members of his family were left frustrated at the club's handling of his situation

Petracca had surgery immediately to repair four broken ribs, lacerations to the spleen and a punctured lung after an incident in the Demons' 38-point loss to the Pies in round 13.

Despite evident tensions bubbling at the club, Gawn moved quickly to shut down suggestions that the Monday discussion indicated that Petracca wanted out.

Additionally, Gawn provided clarity on Petracca's extended break in Noosa following his injury, that saw him away from the club for 10 weeks.

"I'm in open dialogue with Trac (Petracca)and I don't see the build-up that's happened with Trac. He went away for 9-10 weeks … well he went away for four of them to Noosa," Gawn told Triple M Breakfast with Rosie, Wil & Daisy on Monday.

"Obviously, he had to spend a few weeks at home early on after the surgery and I'm happy he did that. I'm happy he went away and any player that is struggling mentally with anything that's going on - doesn't have to be in the ICU like Trac had - it can be just a rolled ankle, anyone that's struggling (I'm) more than happy to grant leave on that.

"So that'll all play out. There'll be conversations that we'll have over the next two weeks."

The Demons will miss the finals for the first time in four years, with their round 24 match against Collingwood their last chance to prove they're still hungry for a shot in 2025.

It led Gawn to declare that naturally, the entire club was feeling frustrated at missing the top eight, which may be misconstrued outside their four walls.

"I mean, it just depends how you're getting your source. There are always fractures in a team that has played finals for four years and now isn't playing finals," he said.

"We've lost until (the round 23 match against) Gold Coast. We lost four in a row, (needing to win) to put ourselves in the chance to play in the top eight.

"So, we're pretty flat on that and at the halfway mark (of the season), I think we were top four, so that's flattening."

The Demons won the premiership in 2021, but went out in straight sets in the 2022 and 2023 finals series'.