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Find your Sport Nation frequencyMax Gawn reminding the footy world he’s still the top dog
Andrew Slevison • April 25th, 2025 9:39 am
Melbourne captain Max Gawn has sent a friendly reminder to the competition that he remains the top dog.
The premiership skipper, seven-time All-Australian and two-time best and fairest dominated for the Demons in their 20-point win over Richmond on Anzac Eve at the MCG.
Gawn’s grasp on the best ruckman title was slipping to Tristan Xerri, Tom De Koning and co., but he has emphatically warned his rivals that there’s still plenty left in the tank.
The form of the ageing star dropped off just a matter of weeks ago but he has put together three sublime performances culminating in the Frank ‘Checker’ Hughes medal, winning 34 hit outs along with 25 disposals, 13 contested possessions, a game-high 12 score involvements, nine marks (five contested) and six clearances.
Demons coach Simon Goodwin was effusive in his praise of Gawn who sat out half of the final term when the game was done and dusted.
Goodwin described Gawn as one of the best we have ever seen.
“He does it slightly differently to the De Konings and that,” Goodwin said.
“He's got enormous pride in his game. You're seeing one of the best ever in the game go about his craft. What we've seen in the last few weeks, he's reminding everyone that there's that little bit more left in him.
“We took him off with half a quarter to go. It's a long year, we've got to look after the big fella. But he's just an extraordinary leader. I think we've seen in the last two weeks, once again, he's been able to drive the right things and lead the footy club incredibly well.”
At 33, Gawn is closer to the end than he is the start but Goodwin reckons he’s playing well enough to kick on at least for a few more seasons.
“Hopefully another four or five years, that would be handy,” Goodwin responded in a jocular manner when asked.
“Gee, we do hope he can keep playing to this standard. That would be nice.”
Assessing Gawn’s colossal outing, SEN’s David King wondered if the gun ruckman could stick around for a few more years and guide the club back to the top.
“I can see this Melbourne team emerging again. There’s a bracket of older players, like Max Gawn, I can see him hanging on for a couple of years while these kids get another 40 games in them,” King said on SEN’s Fireball.
“I can see them coming together in 2027 for a real tilt, a la the Collingwood version right now.”
But he is a little bit worried about the team's reliance on the venerated tall.
“The biggest learning was when Max Gawn went off the ground at the 15-minute mark of the last quarter, it all fell apart (when the Tigers kicked four goals),” King added.
“They looked rudderless. Is that Melbourne without Max? Or is that just an obvious statement? But when can you take Max off now? How much do you have to lead by before you can rest Max?
“If you lead by 25 points with 10 minutes to go can you take him off? Can you rest him? Can you manage his minutes? You haven’t got the luxury of managing his minutes.”
Kane Cornes concurs, wondering what life after Gawn looks like for the Dees.
“I was saying (on the Channel 7 broadcast) to get him off and they did take him off and the game falls apart,” said Cornes.
“The guy is 34 in December so there needs to be life after Max, they need to start thinking about that now.
“Can he come off at critical stages when he needs a rest late in the third term? It appears like you can’t.”
Gawn and the Dees have banked two wins on the trot and will look to make it three when they clash with West Coast in Perth in Round 8.
