Petrie will have surgery on his right foot on Wednesday, with a screw to replace the rod inserted after his failed comeback in round 10.
Despite spending just five weeks on the sidelines - half the recovery time allowed for a similar injury to his left foot in March - the 27-year-old said his return against Sydney Swans wasn't too soon.
"I was a bit nervous the first time when I came back in round 10 this year from the first broken foot," he said.
"But this time I felt better than I had last time, and I was really confident. I had some good training sessions leading up to the game and there was no soreness at all in our main session on Thursday.
"Early in the game on Sunday this soreness appeared. I couldn't believe it - it just came from nowhere."
Clearly hampered by the injury, the key forward resumed after half time on Sunday but was eventually taken off by coach Brad Scott.
Petrie reiterated that he did not risk worsening the injury by staying on the field, and said there was never an occasion this season where he felt he had to question the advice of North's medical staff.
"In the heat of a game, when you've got moments to make decisions, I was fine to continue playing," he said.
"In the third quarter I had a fair run a few times at the footy and jumped into a few packs and felt great. It was only in the early stages to the middle stages of the last quarter that the pain was pretty bad.
"In the back of my mind, I knew doctor Con (club doctor Con Mitropoulos) said there was no way the injury could get worse, so that was reassuring.
"I've trusted every word doctor Con has told me. I've seen some great surgeons who have done some great work. My feet were just unlucky this time for it to not heal as well, but I don't and I have never doubted our medical team."
Petrie said he had been worried that his injuries could linger but was now optimistic that an extended period on the sidelines - and another full pre-season - would work in his favour.
"I was a little bit nervous of that at the start ... but I reckon it will help lengthen [my career] too in that now my body's had 12 months off," he said.
"It's enabled other areas of my body to heal, and I'm sure I've got three or four good years ahead of me.
"I was sitting on the couch watching telly [last night], and it just hit me all of a sudden [that] I'm not going to play footy again this year," he added.
"I've been in pretty good spirits each time I've been injured this year, but I've had a goal of being able to come back."
Petrie said he would consider speaking with former Essendon captain James Hird and ex-Geelong defender Matthew Egan, even though the foot injuries suffered in their careers were worse.
