Petrie's parent's praise son's dedication ahead of 300th AFL Match against St Kilda

A gifted boy with a flair for most sports he tried his hand at, in the early 1990’s Petrie was quickly carving a name for himself throughout the region as a fierce competitor with bat and ball for junior cricket club Ballarat-Redan, often raising the bat in acknowledgement of a century.

“Cricket was his favourite sport, and he played footy with his mates in the off-season,” father Trevor said as he and wife Sue flicked through the scrapbooks detailing their son’s two decades of sporting achievement.  “Just like he is in footy, he was very dedicated, determined and disciplined.”

While Petrie would be rewarded with selection in the training squad for the Victorian junior side, he would be forced to part ways with the bat when the North Ballarat Rebels showed interest in his short yet illustrious football career with the Ballarat Swans.

While mother Sue had been firm in her belief that the boys were not to start playing football until they were on an appropriate age, a late call-up to fill in for older brother Scott’s under-12’s side as a young boy launched Drew on a trajectory which would continue for over two decades.

“He dominated in that game,” Trevor fondly recalls.  “And after that the footy club were pretty keen to keep him around.”

The relationship with the Ballarat Football Club is one which the 33-year-old still holds dear, regularly returning to his old stomping ground to assist in any way he can.  “Scott’s running Auskick for the Swans and Drew came back a couple of Friday nights ago and took the kids and then drove back to Melbourne, and he still loves the Ballarat Footy Club,” Trevor said.

Petrie’s relationship with his hometown will again be evident when he runs out for his 300^th appearance in blue and white at Docklands Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with a large contingent of Ballarat friends dating back to his time at St Patricks College expected to make the journey.  

For Trevor the clash with St Kilda will be just one of more than 200 times he has seen his son run onto an AFL ground, after missing just one Victorian match since the lanky right-footer first donned the Kangaroos guernsey in 2001.

But despite a family history of elite sporting talent which included uncle Ron Andrews who played over 150 games for Essendon, both Sue and Trevor remain adamant that it was hard work rather than natural ability which has led to Petrie’s remarkable milestone.

“I don’t think he’s especially gifted to be honest,” Trevor said.  “I think it’s because he’s dedicated and loyal to himself and other people.”