Private school culture - probably the same at most clubs these days

Melbourne captain Max Gawn reveals how cigarettes and
injuries nearly derailed his AFL career before it began

  On 22/07/2020 at 02:37, sue said:

Private school culture - probably the same at most clubs these days

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-22/max-gawns-journey-from-smoking-darts-to-captaining-melbourne/12479732

We've had some very good captains over the years but this guy might just turn out to be the best I think.  Since he's taken the role his game has gone to a new level - he's leading by example as a true match-winner.  And I think he has a communication style that everyone can relate to.

The thing I love about him is there is no BS with Gawny and he looks to genuinely care about his teammates.

I believe the culture and team first nature at the club is the best it has been since I started barracking back in the late nineties. I think it's just taking time for this to translate onto the field, though hopefully it is starting to now.

I find this bit really strange:

He found his way back into the team in the middle of the 2015 season, and soon made a breakthrough. From there, Gawn hasn't looked back.

"It was purely just marking the football in a game against St Kilda. I took maybe two or three marks and all of a sudden, I felt like I belonged," he said.

We decided to play two rucks against Geelong in 2015. It was Corey Enright's 300th. I was at the game and high fived Gus and Jetts after the game. Max hadn't been in the team and was brought in for this game. He took 2 or 3 really strong contested marks and to my eye, hasn't looked back since. 

It could have been that we played St Kilda after this and that's when he felt really at home, but to me, he exuded a confidence in that Geelong game.

  On 22/07/2020 at 03:22, Action Jackson said:

The thing I love about him is there is no BS with Gawny and he looks to genuinely care about his teammates.

I believe the culture and team first nature at the club is the best it has been since I started barracking back in the late nineties. I think it's just taking time for this to translate onto the field, though hopefully it is starting to now.

I reckon Roos and Goodwin have to take a fair amount of praise for that too.

  On 22/07/2020 at 03:26, A F said:

I find this bit really strange:

He found his way back into the team in the middle of the 2015 season, and soon made a breakthrough. From there, Gawn hasn't looked back.

"It was purely just marking the football in a game against St Kilda. I took maybe two or three marks and all of a sudden, I felt like I belonged," he said.

We decided to play two rucks against Geelong in 2015. It was Corey Enright's 300th. I was at the game and high fived Gus and Jetts after the game. Max hadn't been in the team and was brought in for this game. He took 2 or 3 really strong contested marks and to my eye, hasn't looked back since. 

It could have been that we played St Kilda after this and that's when he felt really at home, but to me, he exuded a confidence in that Geelong game.

He played the week before against the Saints and took a few grabs (just checked 2015 round 11 via AFL app). That was the game where they won by a kick right before the siren after Toumpas left Montagna unchecked. It was this loss that caused some soul searching and helped us with that big win against the Cats. 

  On 22/07/2020 at 04:49, At the break of Gawn said:

He played the week before against the Saints and took a few grabs (just checked 2015 round 11 via AFL app). That was the game where they won by a kick right before the siren after Toumpas left Montagna unchecked. It was this loss that caused some soul searching and helped us with that big win against the Cats. 

Good find. It was my memory that deceived me. Fair enough that Max remembers his own breakthrough game.

  On 22/07/2020 at 03:26, A F said:

I find this bit really strange:

He found his way back into the team in the middle of the 2015 season, and soon made a breakthrough. From there, Gawn hasn't looked back.

"It was purely just marking the football in a game against St Kilda. I took maybe two or three marks and all of a sudden, I felt like I belonged," he said.

We decided to play two rucks against Geelong in 2015. It was Corey Enright's 300th. I was at the game and high fived Gus and Jetts after the game. Max hadn't been in the team and was brought in for this game. He took 2 or 3 really strong contested marks and to my eye, hasn't looked back since. 

It could have been that we played St Kilda after this and that's when he felt really at home, but to me, he exuded a confidence in that Geelong game.

I remember this game well. Family lunch with Geelong supporting outlaws. They were dumbstruck that we beat them on their own turf. They left the house in a hurry without saying goodbye or thanks for lunch. Hilarious.

Max was outstanding. It was the game we had been waiting for. He has grown in stature ever since.

The game on the weekend against hawthorn was the complete game. can't recall a better rucking exhibition for the Dees even going back as far as Peter Moore, Ditterich, Jeff White etc.

  On 22/07/2020 at 04:57, jnrmac said:

I remember this game well. Family lunch with Geelong supporting outlaws. They were dumbstruck that we beat them on their own turf. They left the house in a hurry without saying goodbye or thanks for lunch. Hilarious.

Max was outstanding. It was the game we had been waiting for. He has grown in stature ever since.

The game on the weekend against hawthorn was the complete game. can't recall a better rucking exhibition for the Dees even going back as far as Peter Moore, Ditterich, Jeff White etc.

Yep, utterly dominant. What's so incredibly rare is that almost everything Petracca touched was sublime as well. The strongest two hander from Melbourne players I can recall for a long time.

And half my family is Geelong and I don't know how many times we've been down to Geelong and watched us [censored] on. That day was very, very sweet and I was hoarse by the end of it.

Edited July 22, 20204 yr by A F

  On 22/07/2020 at 02:55, Pollyanna said:

We've had some very good captains over the years but this guy might just turn out to be the best I think.  Since he's taken the role his game has gone to a new level - he's leading by example as a true match-winner.  And I think he has a communication style that everyone can relate to.

I'm not sure about that. We have been flaky for a long time and I think that's due to limited on-field leadership partially.

Since say 1980 - Flower, Lyon and Viney(T) are the only ones I rated.

Gawn will join that list

  On 22/07/2020 at 05:44, Demon17 said:

I'm not sure about that. We have been flaky for a long time and I think that's due to limited on-field leadership partially.

Since say 1980 - Flower, Lyon and Viney(T) are the only ones I rated.

Gawn will join that list

You're kidding right?  David Neitz is #1 - club games record holder, club games as captain record holder, club goals record holder, member of the Hall of Fame, Coleman Medallist, Best and Fairest winner, 7 x leading goal-kicker, All-Australian.

 

Edited July 22, 20204 yr by Pollyanna

  On 22/07/2020 at 02:55, Pollyanna said:

We've had some very good captains over the years but this guy might just turn out to be the best I think.  Since he's taken the role his game has gone to a new level - he's leading by example as a true match-winner.  And I think he has a communication style that everyone can relate to.

He leads by example, AND he’s relatable to players and supporters. I listen every time he is interviewed, we always knew he was good for a laugh, but he’s also extremely insightful, which is extremely rare.

As a grown adult I don’t throw around terms like “favourite player” much, let alone “favourite ever player”, but if I had to nominate one, Max is a contender.

  On 22/07/2020 at 04:50, A F said:

Good find. It was my memory that deceived me. Fair enough that Max remembers his own breakthrough game.

Looking it up Gawn came in against the Pies and looked good in the hit outs against a young Grundy. Then I remember the Saints game the next week, only 3 marks but 16 touches and a stack of hit outs against Longer. He looked like he belonged but tired as the sole ruck and made a big error with an aggressive hit out at the final bounce.

Obviously he took the loss personally and also felt like he belonged all at once and produced the cats game. 
 

In the space of 3 games he went from injury riddled underachieving prospect in the VFL to star! 

 

I wish I’d never have to here the smoking on the way to training story again.

Probably pass on the private school gear as well. Growing up in Ormond and going to McKinnon Sec isn’t exactly the Wild West. Max would’ve played juniors and TAC with a heap of private school kids. For every Langdon and Tomlinson there’s a Salem and Bedford too, not every private school kid is the same. 

The important part of the message is inclusiveness and treating people as individuals. Finding out what motivates them. That’s where Max can be a huge asset as a captain. 

  On 22/07/2020 at 06:21, DeeSpencer said:

I wish I’d never have to here the smoking on the way to training story again.

Probably pass on the private school gear as well. Growing up in Ormond and going to McKinnon Sec isn’t exactly the Wild West. Max would’ve played juniors and TAC with a heap of private school kids. For every Langdon and Tomlinson there’s a Salem and Bedford too, not every private school kid is the same. 

The important part of the message is inclusiveness and treating people as individuals. Finding out what motivates them. That’s where Max can be a huge asset as a captain. 

Good post. I have no idea where Langdon, Tomlinson and Bedford went to school and I don't care. Salem's Brighton Grammar credentials are well know given he was in the same team as Josh Kelly and Jayden Hunt.

Gawn smoked and Pendlebury played basketball. Two little facts you probably haven’t heard before. 

  On 22/07/2020 at 07:27, Ethan Tremblay said:

Gawn smoked and Pendlebury played basketball. Two little facts you probably haven’t heard before. 

I heard it hear first!

  On 22/07/2020 at 07:22, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Good post. I have no idea where Langdon, Tomlinson and Bedford went to school and I don't care. Salem's Brighton Grammar credentials are well know given he was in the same team as Josh Kelly and Jayden Hunt.

Langdon went to Melbourne Grammar, his family own a very successful business. Bedford also went to Melbourne Grammar, but his family hails from Halls Creek. Steve May, same school - but from Darwin. Spargo, the same, but from Albury. 4 kids from the same school but 4 very different backgrounds.

Salo went to Brighton, but his parents run a cafe, as does Max's mum.

I know Max is just trying to describe the culture shock when walking in and finding a group of players, but it is a little tedious. 

Gawn found the place too sterile and professional. Scully and Trengove (private school kids from the burbs and the bush) walked in and were the most professional people in the place and thought the place was a dumpster fire.

 

Gawn is IMO MFC’s best player in the last 35 yrs, the influence he is having on games at the moment and his consistency over the last few years has been amazing. 

  On 22/07/2020 at 05:49, Pollyanna said:

You're kidding right?  David Neitz is #1 - club games record holder, club games as captain record holder, club goals record holder, member of the Hall of Fame, Coleman Medallist, Best and Fairest winner, 7 x leading goal-kicker, All-Australian.

 

I'm not kidding. Neita was a magnificent player but led the team through some of its flakiest periods when routinely we'd give 6 goal starts miss finals after a GF. 

I always bemoaned the lack of a follow me leader like flower or lyon over the years in games when it counted.

  On 22/07/2020 at 07:27, Ethan Tremblay said:

Gawn smoked and Pendlebury played basketball. Two little facts you probably haven’t heard before. 

Apparently Brad green played for Manchester United!

  On 22/07/2020 at 08:43, Demon17 said:

I'm not kidding. Neita was a magnificent player but led the team through some of its flakiest periods when routinely we'd give 6 goal starts miss finals after a GF. 

I always bemoaned the lack of a follow me leader like flower or lyon over the years in games when it counted.

 Neitz > Lyon.

If you can't see that I cannot help you.

  On 22/07/2020 at 12:08, Pollyanna said:

 Neitz > Lyon.

If you can't see that I cannot help you.

I saw all of garry lyons career live and the numerous times he dragged the team over the line. 

Don't confuse great playing talent with leadership capability. They are different characteristics .  After Flower Lyon was the best talent i hsve seen at the dees btw imo.

On field, Neitz was a great captain. Led the way with his physicality and actions. And a bloody good footballer as well.

As was Junior McDonald for that matter.

After that it went pear shaped.

 

  On 22/07/2020 at 08:43, Demon17 said:

I'm not kidding. Neita was a magnificent player but led the team through some of its flakiest periods when routinely we'd give 6 goal starts miss finals after a GF. 

I always bemoaned the lack of a follow me leader like flower or lyon over the years in games when it counted.

Lyon was at the helm during some pretty flaky stuff as well.
Also was the Mayor of Hollywood Boulevard.