Footy Today: Petracca’s kicking surge and Broncos’ selection squeeze
Footy today is being shaped by two sharp storylines: Christian Petracca’s striking rise at the Gold Coast Suns and Brisbane’s hard-edged statement win over Canterbury. The common thread is execution, with both clubs leaning on precision under pressure in moments that have already shifted the mood around each side. In footy today, the details are telling the bigger story.
Petracca’s new standard at Gold Coast
Christian Petracca has made a stunning start to his Suns career, and his kicking has become the clearest sign of the change. Through the first seven rounds of the season, Champion Data rated him the best kick in the AFL, with the midfielder excelling in general field kicking, kicks inside 50 and kicks at goal. That impact has come despite a hamstring injury, with Petracca playing a significant role in all four of Gold Coast’s victories this season.
The move traces back to his final year at Melbourne, when he reached out to Enhanced Football founder and owner Ben Stanley after seeing his work with other AFL players on Instagram. Stanley, based on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, later met Petracca in Melbourne to talk through how he might help the 2021 Norm Smith medallist improve his kicking.
“He said he really wanted to improve his kicking and wanted to see my theories on it, ” Stanley told. “Over last year and this year, we’ve done at least eight to 10 lengthy sessions and have changed a fair bit with his kicking. ”
Stanley said the biggest change was in how Petracca holds the ball, moving to an open grip with more relaxed shoulders and hands. He also pointed to timing as a major factor, noting that Petracca’s leg power means he does not need to over-kick the ball. The work continued over the off-season in Noosa with Suns draftee Zeke Uwland also involved.
Broncos turn depth into a warning shot
Brisbane’s 32-12 win over Canterbury on Friday night at Suncorp Stadium was a statement of its own. Missing 12 top-liners, the Broncos still produced one of their most complete performances under coach Michael Maguire, racing to a 20-0 half-time lead in front of 42, 775 fans. The result lifted Brisbane back into the top eight and added pressure to a Bulldogs side left to manage a 3-4 start.
Ezra Mam and Adam Reynolds drove the performance, while the Broncos’ reshuffled pack stood up when it mattered most. Ben Talty made an imposing starting debut at prop, Jack Gosiewski worked relentlessly in the middle, and Xavier Willison added punch with 143 metres, an offload for the first try and a late score to finish the night.
Hayze Perham also seized his chance in his first starting NRL game in 964 days, helping set up two tries after coming back from a knee reconstruction. The night also brought concern, with Viliame Kikau injured in the first half for Canterbury and Brendan Piakura leaving later with a knee issue.
Immediate reactions and selection pressure
Stanley’s assessment of Petracca underlined how much has changed in a short time, with the Suns midfielder now operating at a level that has made him central to Gold Coast’s early-season momentum. On the Brisbane side, the broader reaction is built around selection depth and the growing challenge for coach Cameron Ciraldo, whose Bulldogs are under pressure to rediscover their rhythm.
For the Broncos, the win was about more than a scoreline. It was a reminder that, even without several frontline names, the side can still impose its style. That matters in footy today because the margin between contender and pretender often comes down to who handles disruption best.
What comes next
The Suns will keep watching Petracca’s kicking closely, because footy today has made that improvement one of the clearest individual stories of the season. Brisbane, meanwhile, will head forward with confidence and a few selection questions after a win that suggested its depth can carry real weight. If both teams keep this level, footy today could look very different in the weeks ahead.
