Christian Petracca's revelation about girlfriend amid family's 'upset' at Melbourne Demons

Christian Petracca has revealed he needs help from girlfriend Bella to complete simple tasks like putting his socks on, amid reports his family aren't happy with the Melbourne Demons over their handling of the situation. Petracca suffered four broken ribs, a lacerated spleen and punctured lung after copping a knock to the side in Melbourne's clash with Collingwood last Monday.

He was sent to hospital during the game, but only after he attempted to keep playing - a decision that has sparked widespread backlash against the Demons. Petracca revealed late last week that he won't play again this season, and on Monday he opened up about how he's been going.

The 28-year-old is back at home with partner Bella after spending over a week in the ICU, but he's still in isolation due to the risk of infection. Only Bella and Petracca's parents are allowed to visit him, and no one from the Demons has seen him since he suffered the injuries because they haven't been allowed to.

"I'm literally not allowed to do anything," he said. "The spleen is a vital part of the immune system, so I had to get all my vaccinations done again. Bell's had to do everything - put me to bed, put my socks on, give me all my medication, cook me dinner."

Petracca isn't allowed to run or go to the gym for the next seven weeks. He can't fly for six weeks, and is not allowed to do any contact sport for three months.

He revealed that he can't see himself playing AFL again in the near future because it's still raw. "I watched a little bit of footy in the weekend and I had to turn it off because when you see even a simple tackle, you just put yourself back in the situation that you were," he admitted.

"But no doubt, with the recovery process and everything that I'll be able to tick off and my mindset, I'll be able to get back to the player I was. Just, at the moment, it's a lot of self-doubt. That's just the human feeling of course."

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Reports Christian Petracca's family aren't happy with Demons

Reports emerged earlier on Monday that Petracca's family aren't happy with the Demons over their handling of the whole situation. Leading reporter Tom Morris told SEN radio: "The fact that he released the news that he was out for the rest of the season before the club did probably gives you an indication of what he and his family...they're upset, frustrated at the club.

"I think it's more to do with what happened in the days that followed. There's certainly a feeling from the Petracca that the club could have done things better."

On Monday night, Caroline Wilson suggested the anger is more likely to be stemming from the decision to allow Petracca back on the field. Wilson said it was telling that Petracca made a comment on social media that he was responsible for going back on the field - not the club's doctors - but then deleted it a day later.

"Melbourne have asked themselves if they could have been more sensitive in their comments about Petracca being out for 12 weeks without contact training," Wilson said. "Maybe they shouldn't have mentioned anything about training given the terrible situation.

"It's difficult because do you deal with the player and his partner - when the player is 28 and lives with his partner - or do you deal with the parents? Maybe they needed to talk to everyone and not just Petracca and his partner. Is it that his family are just completely shocked and shattered by what happened? I think it goes back to the decision to put him back on."