Gawn is clearly a great of the club and one of the best rucks of the decade. At the same time he’s certainly an enigma.

I don’t always agree with his leadership style. If he mentions private schools or the smoking story one more time I might lose the plot. But I can’t deny the results of a captain who is himself and encourages the playing group to do the same.

On field he is a bit of a flopper at times but also gets very little from the umps. He should lead the league in free kicks.

His intercept marking is just phenomenal. Only McGovern is in the same league and it’s a bit easier at half back than covering the full ground. His work rate is incredible, both covering space and to pressure, chase and tackle in tighter against mids 30cm shorter than him. Apart from premiership captain and a prelim for the ages it will be his marking and tireless effort that defines his greatness.

His centre bounce ruck work suffers because he doesn’t jump. That’s where the Jacko 1-2 punch is most helpful to Max. We completely change our mix when they swap. 

And yeah - he does have the habit of playing mediocre games against young rucks he hasn’t faced much. I think that shows he’s such a scholar and does so much homework against rivals the trickiest thing for him is when he gets someone with limited exposure.

Anyway, he’s a legend who’s done it all his own way with quirks and brilliance. No doubt he gets opposition supporters feeling all kinds of ways watching him. 

One of my favorites threads each week during the season was the opposition supporters thread before each game. always worth a read. From my recollection there was almost universal acclaim for Gawny. As well as being the best ruck he's the most popular player in the league by a long way.

Edited December 13, 20213 yr by BDA

If If If my my mother had wheels she would have been a bike, come on good sides overcome and adapt we are a good side now.

You have to really dig for those negative Gawn comments. There's always going to be some nuffies.  

The only common line from every pre match opposition thread is the respect for Gawn and acceptance he's going to be dominant (which 4/5 he is). You could fill up 4 pages of positive comments. 

If there was an nfl style fantasy draft he'd be first picked in a heart beat for many years now, he's that dominant for his position. 

15 minutes ago, Jjrogan said:

 

If there was an nfl style fantasy draft he'd be first picked in a heart beat for many years now, he's that dominant for his position. 

There is.
AFL Supercoach.
Gawn and Oliver have been 1st picks in mine for years.
Trac has been in and out but has cemented his spot over the last 2.
He was a little inconsistent over the early years.
Gawn and Oliver will give you 100+ pts every week.

Edited December 13, 20213 yr by Fork 'em

I think the goal he kicked after the siren against Geelong, in the final round of the year, will go down as one of the most important in our clubs history. He misses that kick and it changes the whole complexion of the finals. 

He is a legend and perhaps a bigger legend that a lot of us imagine.

I can't recall a player instantly moving into Legend status from one game Max in that prelim was the moment. And then holding up the cup the next week

We have a genuine legend on our hands

Averages an AA every 32 games too.  not bad  😉

3 hours ago, CYB said:

Whilst the Doggies probably edge us out in their midfield depth (Bont, Macrae, Libba, Dunkley, Treloar, Hunter, Smith), they lack a major weapon in the ruck department and we have two of them in Max and LJ.

Bont = Petracca

Oliver >Macrae

Viney>Libba

Langdon >Hunter

Harmes > Treloar

Brayshaw > Smith

Gawn > Martin

Jackson > English 

34 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Bont = Petracca

Oliver >Macrae

Viney>Libba

Langdon >Hunter

Harmes > Treloar

Brayshaw > Smith

Gawn > Martin

Jackson > English 

Pretty much spot on.

17 hours ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

guess is that after the PF the Dogs put a heap of work into how to curb the influence of Gawn, and basically forgot about Jackson.

Yea, I thought Luke J would kinda sneak in under the doggies radar. And given that Max had kicked five in the prelim I think they could be excused.

I've heard a few commentators state that the Dogs top ten were better than ours

I dont agree, the real issue was that our team bats strongly all the way through. 

From the Norm smith medalist to our youngest in Bowey we are a club that is simply too talented. If they had paid attention they would have realised that Jackson was going from strength to strength . But I guess there wasn't much the doggies could do to really nullify our ruck duo and it showed.

1 hour ago, Dante said:

He is a legend and perhaps a bigger legend that a lot of us imagine.

I’ve said it before but it warrants repeating:

Minstrels will write songs about him.

Over to you, @Mazer Rackham😉 

 

2 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

If they had paid attention they would have realised that Jackson was going from strength to strength . But I guess there wasn't much the doggies could do to really nullify our ruck duo and it showed.

They rushed back Martin hoping he could do a Clark Keating and work Max over physically. But he was a long way underdone. What happened to the old grand final rule of thumb that you do't play unfit players? I suppose desperation will do that to you.

13 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

 

I've heard a few commentators state that the Dogs top ten were better than ours

 

The Dogs list is deep with talent but it’s not balanced. They have a lot of very good ball winners in the middle but they have a poor backline, no good ruck and their forwardline is suspect without Bruce taking away a tall. 
The issue with the Dogs midfield is they are us in 2018. Bees to the honeypot. Too many players doing the same thing. It’s why we were able to get so many center clearance goals in the granny. Nobody defended. They all tried winning the stoppage. 
 

2 hours ago, Fork 'em said:

Dunno man.
Losing Oliver would hurt equally ..... IMO.
Might not be as flashy as Petracca but during this season and we we're under the pump it was Oliver who got us rolling.
Just a competitive beast that hates to lose.
And I love him for it.

Clarry is the V8

Only Bont might be good enough to play for the dees. Only he might be comparable to CP5 or Clarrie.

The rest of their supposed strong midfield is serviceable but not outstanding. No  comparison to JV, Angus, Langers, Harmes, who excel when led by Maxie, CP5 and Clarrie.

I've said it before but Gawn is the best player I have seen I think there will be one player even better than him eventually and that's Jackson he is just a freak.

1 hour ago, jnrmac said:

Bont = Petracca

Oliver >Macrae

Viney>Libba

Langdon >Hunter

Harmes > Treloar

Brayshaw > Smith

Gawn > Martin

Jackson > English 

Not sure non one-eyed supporters would agree with you on every aspect of this.

Still think Libba has Viney covered. Treloar is much better than Harmes and Smith is ahead of Brayshaw.

Why do we bother measuring a group of players that have had a memorable premiership campaign in the virtual first year as a really young group together against a composite Footscray, work in progress of 2016 and additions.

What are we going to compare against end of next year🤑🤑😍😀

 

1 minute ago, CYB said:

Not sure non one-eyed supporters would agree with you on every aspect of this.

Still think Libba has Viney covered. Treloar is much better than Harmes and Smith is ahead of Brayshaw.

After the GF Libba looked like he was so used to being on the ground that he wanted to be in the ground.

33 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

The Dogs list is deep with talent but it’s not balanced. They have a lot of very good ball winners in the middle but they have a poor backline, no good ruck and their forwardline is suspect without Bruce taking away a tall. 
The issue with the Dogs midfield is they are us in 2018. Bees to the honeypot. Too many players doing the same thing. It’s why we were able to get so many center clearance goals in the granny. Nobody defended. They all tried winning the stoppage. 
 

Good analysis of the dogs Jaded.

They do have a strong midfield and I think their defence isn't too bad either. But our forward line really came together and at the end of the day we have too many good forwards to cover. Shut down our big man in Tmac ok....then bbb steps up. Close our small in kozzie then Spargo or Nibbler chip in. Fritta is simply a wildcard and hard to match up on. Add all our mids kicking goals and Max or Jackson to spend time there and your thin backline is really stretched.

As  you say missing Bruce cost them especially against the best backline in the comp. 

Edited December 13, 20213 yr by leave it to deever

1 hour ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

I’ve said it before but it warrants repeating:

Minstrels will write songs about him.

Over to you, @Mazer Rackham😉 

 

Alright. Here's the first installment. I have work to do you know!

 

 

O gather round ye people be rich or be poor

And hear the lay with which I now ye bore

The tale of a man bearded, tall and lank

And of another constantly running the flank

And of yet another e'er under the pack

And yet of one more holding down the back

I sing of a man both painted and hairless

And of some other weird-haired and fearless

And so many more of whose tale I sing

And yet I forerun this tale I bring

Forebear me my friends to start at the start

And list to the saga of which I will chart

The tale I tell is one of great gladness

Yet borne of long years of many a sadness

Of years of tanking and losses and death

And how the great club near took its last breath

I sing of long years under shadow of dark

Of Flower and Wells and Alves and Parke

When glory was ever a long way far

And club was learning of failure and scar

I sing of the coaches, Swooper and Neale

Who made dreams of glory appear almost real

And yet this same glory was proved to be wrong

The team failed September, many a year long

I sing of the years of a man named Bailey

When teams of the demons were made to play fraily

The rumours of tanking were wild and rife

These sorry tales cost Dean his life

I sing of the tragedy of hundred eight six

Of Schwab and of Szondy and sad politics

I sing of the years of a man name of Neeld

When weekly the teams of the demons would yield

But lo, all my lay is not sorrow and drear

For man name of Jackson did sudden appear

And soon thereafter the man known as Roos

Who 'gainst all good reason the Demons did choose

This saviour shored up our leaky defence

And brought some degree of respect and hence

The start of a sense of belief was born

When down at the Cats emerged the Gawn

Then in year sixteen the Hawthorns were downed

To end their fourpeat, Dees were back in the town

Then Paul turned over the team to Simon

Who sent the demons the ladder a-climbin'

Yet stumbles appeared in our rise up the ladder

To make the top eight was proved to be harder

A saviour appeared in the man named Hogan

Who sadly turned out to be but a bogan

Then on the Queen’s birthday in year seventeen

The Demons with Watts arrived on the scene

The party got started the following year

The Demons in finals announced we were here

The Cats were demolished in very short fashion

And next week the Hawks were trounced with no compassion

At this point the party was halted so sadly

And next year the Demons performed rather badly

In twenty the fortunes did barely arisen

With no sign of what was just over horizon

And here I was thinking you could never surpass the brilliance of the Mad Max meets Guys and Dolls composition of a few weeks ago. How wrong I was!

I really cant say who the better player is between Clayton and Trac but I'm glad they are ours.

I guess they both bring different levels of brilliance. I wonder which one will win a Brownlow first. Or do they cancel each other out vying for votes?

They certainly have some sort of symbiotic relationship going on and always seem to find one another. I guess to define them in a few word would be Tracs sheer strength and Oliver's persistence. 

16 minutes ago, Mazer Rackham said:

Alright. Here's the first installment. I have work to do you know!

 

 

O gather round ye people be rich or be poor

And hear the lay with which I now ye bore

The tale of a man bearded, tall and lank

And of another constantly running the flank

And of yet another e'er under the pack

And yet of one more holding down the back

I sing of a man both painted and hairless

And of some other weird-haired and fearless

And so many more of whose tale I sing

And yet I forerun this tale I bring

Forebear me my friends to start at the start

And list to the saga of which I will chart

The tale I tell is one of great gladness

Yet borne of long years of many a sadness

Of years of tanking and losses and death

And how the great club near took its last breath

I sing of long years under shadow of dark

Of Flower and Wells and Alves and Parke

When glory was ever a long way far

And club was learning of failure and scar

I sing of the coaches, Swooper and Neale

Who made dreams of glory appear almost real

And yet this same glory was proved to be wrong

The team failed September, many a year long

I sing of the years of a man named Bailey

When teams of the demons were made to play fraily

The rumours of tanking were wild and rife

These sorry tales cost Dean his life

I sing of the tragedy of hundred eight six

Of Schwab and of Szondy and sad politics

I sing of the years of a man name of Neeld

When weekly the teams of the demons would yield

But lo, all my lay is not sorrow and drear

For man name of Jackson did sudden appear

And soon thereafter the man known as Roos

Who 'gainst all good reason the Demons did choose

This saviour shored up our leaky defence

And brought some degree of respect and hence

The start of a sense of belief was born

When down at the Cats emerged the Gawn

Then in year sixteen the Hawthorns were downed

To end their fourpeat, Dees were back in the town

Then Paul turned over the team to Simon

Who sent the demons the ladder a-climbin'

Yet stumbles appeared in our rise up the ladder

To make the top eight was proved to be harder

A saviour appeared in the man named Hogan

Who sadly turned out to be but a bogan

Then on the Queen’s birthday in year seventeen

The Demons with Watts arrived on the scene

The party got started the following year

The Demons in finals announced we were here

The Cats were demolished in very short fashion

And next week the Hawks were trounced with no compassion

At this point the party was halted so sadly

And next year the Demons performed rather badly

In twenty the fortunes did barely arisen

With no sign of what was just over horizon

Brilliant

1 hour ago, CYB said:

Not sure non one-eyed supporters would agree with you on every aspect of this.

Still think Libba has Viney covered. Treloar is much better than Harmes and Smith is ahead of Brayshaw.

For mine Libba & Viney about equqal, but I judge Smith And Brayshaw how they performed in the heat of a Grand Final. Brayshaw for mine.Think Smith may be a bit of a front runner.