Why Petracca was denied a slice of AFL history

Norm Smith medallist Christian Petracca was robbed of a caller VFL/AFL expansive last grounds owed to a Champion Data statistic audit pursuing Melbourne's win.

Petracca was named champion afield successful Melbourne's 74-point expansive last win implicit the Bulldogs aft finishing with 39 disposals and 2 goals, with his disposal tally equalling the expansive last grounds acceptable by Brisbane's Simon Black successful 2003.

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However, Petracca's last disposal tally came arsenic a daze aft the Seven Network indicated that helium had notched a expansive final-record 40th disposal successful the 4th quarter.

According to the AFL's authoritative stats from the match, Petracca was initially credited with 40 disposals, earlier the tally was aboriginal amended.

Petracca celebrates a extremity with Melbourne teammate Jack Viney during the 2021 AFL expansive last (Getty)

The AFL's authoritative stats provider, Champion Data, confirmed to The Age connected Sunday that the alteration occurred aft Petracca had been incorrectly credited with a handball, which meant helium mislaid a possession aft a review.

It is understood that statistic being altered aft the fact, arsenic Petracca's did successful the expansive final, is not retired of the ordinary, with Champion Data often auditing its tallies.

Despite not being the archetypal antheral to grounds 40 disposals successful a expansive final, Petracca's last statline of 39 disposals, 9 clearances and 15 people involvements was stupendous nonetheless.

At conscionable 25 years of age, Petracca became the youngest victor of the Norm Smith Medal since Bulldogs halfback Jason Johannisen's triumph successful 2016.