It was another historic weekend for the Petratos family. 24-year old Dimitri shone for Newcastle Jets as they trounced Wellington Phoenix; 19-year old Kosta made his Jets debut alongside his brother late in the game, while earlier that day 18-year old sister Panagiota represented Newcastle in the W-League. The trio are following in the footsteps of dad Angelo, an NPL veteran, meaning the Petratos family are the first in Australian football history to have three siblings and their father all appear in national league competitions. If that wasn’t enough, 17-year old Maki is in the Central Coast Mariners’ system and tipped to be the best of the bunch.

Now in the prime of his career, Dimitri is the centre of attention – and for good reason. His performances for Newcastle have continued the impressive form he showed before leaving Brisbane Roar midway through last season for an ill-fated moved to Ulsan Hyundai.



Petratos is catching the eye because of his decision-making and bravery in attack. A trend around the world, and especially in the A-League, is for teams to construct play from the back only to lack invention in the final third. All too often, games are played between penalty areas with the ball recycled endlessly from side to side while forwards wait forlornly for a defensive mistake or a burst of inspiration. Petratos is one of the few individuals in the competition taking the game on, accepting responsibility for shooting, crossing, dribbling, or whatever is required to maintain attacking momentum.



Not only that, but Petratos has the attributes to convert responsibility into effectiveness, and the footballing intelligence to know which skill to execute at the appropriate time. For the Jets’ second goal on Saturday he unexpectedly dived around the outside of the Phoenix defence, stabbing over a perfect left-footed cross for Roy O’Donovan. His right-footed set-pieces have long been a menace, as has his ability to switch play and shoot from distance. Few A-League players can match his goalscoring sizzle reel.



Moreover, Petratos grafts. He’s in the Milos Ninkovic mould of a playmaker always on the move between the lines looking for space, presenting to receive the ball and offering an outlet to a teammate or a distraction to the opposition. His performance on Saturday was magnified in comparison to the abundance of similar – but less effective – equivalents in Wellington colours.



Petratos began the season on the right of a fluid four-man attacking unit but has moved inside to deputise for the injured Ronald Vargas. If the Jets are to prolong their strong start to the season through a tough run of upcoming fixtures, much will rest on Petratos’ ability to perform in the No10 role.



This is all a far cry from the infamous training ground bust up with Zeljko Kalac back in 2012 at Sydney FC, an incident that threatened to curtail Petratos’ professional career before it had properly begun. For a while Petratos’ card was marked. There were no A-League suitors prepared to take him out of Sydney so he opted for a six-month stint in the Malaysian Super League. Petratos’ agent, Tony Rallis, told Fairfax Media in 2014 that A-League clubs “all agreed he had talent but none of them were really that interested. Let’s be honest, they had a perception he was a bad apple.”

Brisbane Roar eventually took a punt, offering Petratos a trial ahead of the 2013-14 season, and he impressed enough to earn a one-year contract. In December of that season he bagged a hat-trick against Sydney FC and hasn’t looked back since.



Petratos’ growth is testament to the development culture at Brisbane. His technique and game awareness improved by training and playing alongside Thomas Broich and Besart Berisha, while the mentoring of Jade North, Matt McKay and Shane Stefanutto erased doubts over his character. Roar coach Mike Mulvey was instrumental, telling Seb Hassett, “when he first arrived, he’d take 20 touches of the ball and then pass. It was too much. We’ve limited that and he’s thinking quicker. He’s listening to our advice, he’s fitting in and there’s no question he’s found a happy place in Brisbane.”



There are similarities to be drawn between Petratos and other early season stars Daniel De Silva and Kearyn Baccus. All three are players blossoming in the A-League later than expected. All took risks overseas and all must surely be in Socceroo consideration.



They are all examples of the A-League operating effectively. It is a competition that should have room for young Australian players with high ceilings and it should support their need for second and third chances without fear of the impact this may have on competitiveness.



As the FFA governance dispute moves into its final phase – one that will involve the reshaping of the professional game – increasing opportunities for young players has to be a priority, especially as it may contradict the short-term interests of professional clubs. For example, the excellence and professionalism of Sydney FC deserves enormous praise, but their all-conquering squad was the second-oldest of any national league champions in Australian history, reflective of an upward trend in the average ages of A-League players. This is not fertile ground for another golden generation.



Australian football needs more professional teams providing more opportunities, and the rise of Dimi Petratos is testament as to why. He benefited from an early start at one club, saw his development accelerated at another, and chanced upon a prosperous home at a third, following an unsuccessful stint overseas. The net result is not only a standout performer for Newcastle and a potential Socceroo, but also a case study for the future success of the A-League.

