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Sport Nation
Dees skipper sidelined with finger injury a month out from State Of Origin
Zac Sharpe • January 14th, 2026 8:46 pm
The AFL injury news continues to roll on as Melbourne skipper Max Gawn has suffered a fractured finger at pre-season training.
The Dees skipper suffered the injury on Monday, with the club confirming the extent of the injury and the timeline for his return.
“Max injured his finger on Monday and will be in a splint for the next three weeks,” General Manager of AFL Football Performance Alan Richardson said.
“He’ll be able to continue running and will maintain his fitness, which means his ability to play in the upcoming AFL Origin match won’t be affected.”
Gawn isn’t the only one on the sidelines, with two other Dees suffering injuries that see them spending a stint in the rehab group as well.
Tom Campbell has injured his neck at training, which has him in a neck brace for the next month after tearing a ligament.
And promising youngster Bailey Laurie has suffered a fractured hand, which sees him on the sidelines for the next couple of weeks as well.
Speedster Harry Sharp has a hamstring injury whilst Jack Henderson won’t be back on the park till February as he deals with a fractured sacrum.
Fortunately for Dees fans, the likes of Jack Viney (Achilles), Shane McAdam (Achilles), Brody Mihocek (Toe), Tom Matthews (Meniscus) and Andy Moniz-Wakefield (ACL) are all progressing well during their rehab phase, with a return to full training not too far away for the five of them.
Melbourne’s first game of the season is against St Kilda at the MCG on March 15.
