2021 Player Reviews: #11 Max Gawn

[Demonland 72,163]

The competition’s premier ruckman and five time All Australian, he was peerless in the ruck and caused havoc when “resting” up forward or drifting back into defence. A great premiership captain.

Date of Birth: 30 December, 1991

Height: 208cm

Weight: 109kg

Games MFC 2021: 25

Career Total: 159

Goals MFC 2021: 16

Career Total: 75

Brownlow Medal Votes 2021: 16

All Australian (C)

Premiership Player

[Fritta The Hair G.O.A.T. 510]

5x AA (including 2021 captain), premiership captain. Max is now one of the greatest Demos ever. I think his leadership style also helped the team gel and really buy into the team-first nature, while he is a bit of a different cat I think his approach to leadership was a big plus this year, here's to Maxy becoming a 2x premiership skipper next year 🤞

[Mickey 4,679]

His flexibility and ability below his knees for a big fella is elite and has noticebly improved over the last few years. I wonder how much effect Pilates have played in this improvement? Maybe he can open a Pilates studio for ruckman with his wife (who is a Pilates instructor) when he retires.

[DeeZone 9,824]

Max is an outright champion of the game, he set the standards, helped blend the young into the team no petty jealousies with this champion player / leader and no recriminations. His after game interviews and acceptance speech elevated Max to Elder Statesman of MFC and AFL. Our premiership captain ticked all the boxes on ground and off.

Thank you Max Gawn.💕❤️💙

[durango 2,007]

Great Captain's year since he was appointed he has raised his game to another level which most people thought was not possible but being hunted by Luke for the 1st Ruck position has motivated him.

[Supreme_Demon 3,837]

Had an incredible year did big Maxy Gawn.

He has to go down as one of the greatest Demons of all time to be a 5 time All Australian. Not only that but also one of the game's greatest Ruckmen.

His Preliminary Final match against Geelong with 5 goals (kicking them from everywhere!) was one of the most dominant performances I had ever seen by a Demons player. He was a freak of nature in some of things he was doing!

Now he is a Premiership Captain for the Melbourne Football Club.

Hope he continues to have an amazing career with many more Premierships for the Demons and ends up playing 250+ games for the Melbourne Football Club.

 

Edited October 19, 2021 by Supreme_Demon

[monoccular 17,425]

The big guy could turn out to be OK 🙄

[bobby1554 1,244]

IMO, the most influential player ever to wear the red and blue

[JJJ 1,263]

Max’s PF performance and Petracca’s GF performance are possibly the 2 greatest games I’ve seen from a MFC player. (Earliest memories are 85-86 seasons)

Given the context they’re hard to go past.

Max is a supreme leader and calming influence on the group which, given his first 5 or so years, is an amazing leap and his greatest attribute. When he is clunking contested marks and pushing forward, we are hard to beat. 
 

🙇‍♂️ 

[At Least I Saw a Flag 5,237]

I love him. 

All Demons supporters love him.

In fact all AFL supporters love him. And possibly all non AFL supporters as well.

Wow, what a media career he has ahead of him once he retires !!! 

[At Least I Saw a Flag 5,237]

3 minutes ago, JJJ said:

Max’s PF performance and Petracca’s GF performance are possibly the 2 greatest games I’ve seen from a MFC player. (Earliest memories are 85-86 seasons)

Given the context they’re hard to go past.

Max is a supreme leader and calming influence on the group which, given his first 5 or so years, is an amazing leap and his greatest attribute. When he is clunking contested marks and pushing forward, we are hard to beat. 
 

🙇‍♂️

Clarrie says hi ... his performance v Adelaide ?

[JJJ 1,263]

25 minutes ago, Winners at last said:

Clarrie says hi ... his performance v Adelaide ?

Oliver is my favourite player and I think our best player but Max pulled one out of his backside and Petracca played an incredible game in a GF.

[Gawndy the Great 9,011]

37 minutes ago, JJJ said:

Oliver is my favourite player and I think our best player but Max pulled one out of his backside and Petracca played an incredible game in a GF.

Yep the top 3 individual performances of 2021 👆 . Each performance stands out differently. On shear will, grit and determination Oliver takes the cake; rising to the occasion and putting all on show for the big dance, goes to Trac. But imo, in terms of impact on game, standing out from the pack and playing his best ever game and arguably the best ever game played by a Demons player (yes i know big call, ignorant etc etc) would have to be Gawn.

Edited October 19, 2021 by CYB

[Diamond_Jim 12,568]

His game around the ground not to mention his improvement as an impact forward has put him in the top ten players in the AFL.

The season and the premiership was a team effort and Max was captain of a great team.

Thanks Max

[Guest]

O Captain! My Captain! ❤️💙

I will never, ever forget that moment when Maxy kicked the winner in Round 23. I felt like jumping through the TV screen, scaling that man-mountain and kissing that big bald head of his. 😄

[Fritta and Turner 4,403]

matches up well against Caleb Daniels......most of the time

[Bitter but optimistic 22,239]

Max’ world view 2011 !

[leave it to deever 17,511]

On 10/19/2021 at 10:35 AM, Doggas front teeth said:

5x AA (including 2021 captain), premiership captain. Max is now one of the greatest Demos ever. I think his leadership style also helped the team gel and really buy into the team-first nature, while he is a bit of a different cat I think his approach to leadership was a big plus this year, here's to Maxy becoming a 2x premiership skipper next year 🤞

Was a great call by the club to make him captain. Certainly leads 100% by example and as passionate about his footy and the club one can be. I just hope he can play up for another five. His efforts in the prelim will never be forgotten.

[leave it to deever 17,511]

2 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

O Captain! My Captain! ❤️💙

I will never, ever forget that moment when Maxy kicked the winner in Round 23. I felt like jumping through the TV screen, scaling that man-mountain and kissing that big bald head of his. 😄

Must admit I wasn't confident. Ironically in the prelim he couldn't miss the goals and was potting them from everywhere. I have always thought Max never looked at the goals enough when shooting ie the direction he was kicking but in that Round 23 shot he seemed to concentrate on this more than usual. He did look nervous.  I love the way he celebrates after scoring especially his famous boundary goal. Obviously he's worked hard on his kicking and has stamped himself now after all this time as a genuine ruck/ forward at just the right time with young Luke J moving up.  Tx Max. He's very respected by players and loved by fans. For good reason.

[Maldonboy38 6,400]

I thought his selection as Captain was a pop vote from the players, and was concerned at the time that everyone was confusing likability with leadership. Very happy to be very wrong.

His status as a Dees legend and one of the best AFL ruckmen ever is set in concrete. Love him. He is a quirky, magnetic, leader with natural humour but a whole pile of substance beneath the larrikin exterior. He has worked so hard and now has genuine skill - in the air, on the ground, in tackling, aerobic running, and goal kicking. Once in a generation player.

[Accepting Mediocrity 1,418]

The most incredible thing is that he's still underrated by nuffies who think that the ruck is an obsolete position in modern footy. The finals performances of Max and Jackson have surely put that debate to bed. He could retire tomorrow and still go down as a hall of fame player. A couple more AA's and another flag or 2 puts him into Barassi territory.

Permiership Captain Max Gawn sure has a nice ring to it!

[dees189227 12,389]

I remember years ago we were playing Essendon in a night game and I can't remember if it was Bails or Neeld coaching & Max kicked 3 or so goals I think and we unexpectedly won. I remember saying to my parents this guy will become a cult figure and he has. 

I still can't fathom what he did in the 3rd quarter of the prelim. It was just extraordinary. 

People say Nic Nat is the best and yeah he has the jump and athleticism but until he does what Maxy did in a quarter then there is no argument. 

Maxy embraced the history of our club, he tuned himself into a better player and now a premiership captain. The players love him and they love playing alongside him. Just a legend. 

 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Max’ world view 2011 !

LOL at #5 which also seeps into #6. But he’s spot on: this cereal is delish. 

[Deeoldfart 8,016]

2021 Max is widely touted as the best captain, and one of the best and most influential players in the AFL.  Nothing else needs to be said really! 

He sets the example both on the track and in games, wins games off his own boot, bleeds red and blue and is an outstanding spokesman and ambassador for our OUR club. 

Superb season, and just keeps on raising the bar!

[Jibroni 5,003]

Apparently he is releasing a book as well: