AFL news: Max Gawn on playing injured in finals, Brodie Grundy and what Lachie Hunter will add to Melbourne

Article in today’s Herald Sun tells the story of how Max Gawn was initially ruled out of last year’s semi final vs Brisbane due to a painful hip injury – only to win a last-minute reprieve. A couple of scans on the day before the game earned him a reprieve just as Jacob Van Rooyen was poised to make a shock finals debut against the Lions in his place.

After feeling good and playing well in the first half (the Dees led by 22 points at the main break), it all “came caving in during the second half” and Max struggled to see out the game.

“It was certainly in my head space as the game wore on. But I tried to stay in the moment as much as I could,” Gawn said.

“I was doing quite well to stay in the moment in that game to make sure our team didn’t know there was anything wrong. We had five or six guys in the same position that game.”

We knew that the Demons were in dire straits on the night and it’s been debated and discussed before but we knew we were going into a cut throat final at way under full rat power. We rolled the dice and lost.

10 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

We rolled the dice and lost.

Unfortunately if there were 5 or 6 guys in the same position we didn't have the dice to roll.

Edited March 3, 20232 yr by rjay

By now we'd all guessed as much that something was wrong with Max, but that sounds really quite harsh.  Not that there was much choice around finals.  Glad we're treating Max and his aging body more carefully this year

And yet we had a dominant Casey team full of competent  AFL players that our coach had no faith in.

Sydney also failed dismally at selection  by selecting players on one leg for a grand final.

From various reports the 5-6 probably were:  Fritsch (knee),  Max (back), Petracca (broken leg), Oliver (thumb/hand), Langdon (ribs),  Brown (knee).   Maybe Lever?   All very difficult to replace with someone from Casey. 

To go into a final with 3-4 injuries is risky.  Imv with 5-7 is downright foolhardy and inviting trouble.

Perhaps we compounded the injuries by also selecting players that weren't necessarily best 22.  Would Bowey/JVR have been a better choice than Melksham/Hunt/Rivers (and change some positions).  Would we have not got value bringing on our sub:  Joel Smith (whose selection had to be cover for one of the injured).  Momentum swung early in the last when the injured were spent; no Joel!  No idea why we almost never use our sub!!

Oh, and btw, it would have been helpful if Jackson had played a half decent game to help Max.  A very  poor effort by him in a vital game for his team. 

Not whitewashing the result but imv we beat ourselves in that semi mainly from poor player management decisions before and during the game.

 

Sorry to bring up some 'old chestnuts' but hopefully it doesn't encourage 'whipping boy' posts. 🥺

In 2021 we had a great side and a good run with injuries. Unfortunately in 2022 we had a poor run with injuries.

It takes a good fit side to win a premiership which means that there is always an element of luck involved…..unfortunately.

Fingers crossed for 2023.

39 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

From various reports the 5-6 probably were:  Fritsch (knee),  Max (back), Petracca (broken leg), Oliver (thumb/hand), Langdon (ribs),  Brown (knee).   Maybe Lever?   All very difficult to replace with someone from Casey. 

To go into a final with 3-4 injuries is risky.  Imv with 5-7 is downright foolhardy and inviting trouble.

Perhaps we compounded the injuries by also selecting players that weren't necessarily best 22.  Would Bowey/JVR have been a better choice than Melksham/Hunt/Rivers (and change some positions).  Would we have not got value bringing on our sub:  Joel Smith (whose selection had to be cover for one of the injured).  Momentum swung early in the last when the injured were spent; no Joel!  No idea why we almost never use our sub!!

Oh, and btw, it would have been helpful if Jackson had played a half decent game to help Max.  A very  poor effort by him in a vital game for his team. 

Not whitewashing the result but imv we beat ourselves in that semi mainly from poor player management decisions before and during the game.

 

Sorry to bring up some 'old chestnuts' but hopefully it doesn't encourage 'whipping boy' posts. 🥺

Thanks Luci.  Nice ‘balanced’ assessment and summary.

We beat Brisbane so easily during the year....Let's risk it in a do or die final with quarter of our best players under massive injury clouds.  We are sooooo much better than Brisbane.  We got their measure~!

Dumb coaching, dumb for players to put their hands up to play when under done.

I still question whether Goodwin is the right guy.....Most coaches in the AFL would do great with our list.   Seems way too predictable and uninspiring in a number of areas.....Team selection/ team flexibility/game plan/non use of super sub.  

As a team it looked like it was a grind to play and there seemed to be very little flair after the first five games of the season or so. We tried to win every game in the same or similar fashion.  

Hopefully we allow a bit more creative flair this year!   I fear if we continue to play a dour style we will start off the season great but fade as the season goes on .  It looks boring to play our style, it is often boring to watch.....We got so many players with x factor, allow them to use it!

 

44 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

From various reports the 5-6 probably were:  Fritsch (knee),  Max (back), Petracca (broken leg), Oliver (thumb/hand), Langdon (ribs),  Brown (knee).   Maybe Lever?   All very difficult to replace with someone from Casey. 

To go into a final with 3-4 injuries is risky.  Imv with 5-7 is downright foolhardy and inviting trouble.

Perhaps we compounded the injuries by also selecting players that weren't necessarily best 22.  Would Bowey/JVR have been a better choice than Melksham/Hunt/Rivers (and change some positions).  Would we have not got value bringing on our sub:  Joel Smith (whose selection had to be cover for one of the injured).  Momentum swung early in the last when the injured were spent; no Joel!  No idea why we almost never use our sub!!

Oh, and btw, it would have been helpful if Jackson had played a half decent game to help Max.  A very  poor effort by him in a vital game for his team. 

Not whitewashing the result but imv we beat ourselves in that semi mainly from poor player management decisions before and during the game.

 

Sorry to bring up some 'old chestnuts' but hopefully it doesn't encourage 'whipping boy' posts. 🥺

Mind blowing the sub wasn’t used.

Great summation.

To be fair, Goodwin has amended his faults every season, consistently improves.

Player management will be prime… so the big question must be: what will be the issue this year?

Are we repeating history? Seems no need to play and risk Lever and his dodgy ankles today. Get him cherry ripe for Round 1.

1 hour ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

And yet we had a dominant Casey team full of competent  AFL players that our coach had no faith in.

Sydney also failed dismally at selection  by selecting players on one leg for a grand final.

Name them...there was no one at Casey that would have made a difference that's why they went with what they had

 

We rolled the dice but it was made of confetti.

29 minutes ago, NeveroddoreveN said:

I still question whether Goodwin is the right guy.....

… too bad that ridiculous thread is no longer available, huh. 
🙄 

edit: sorry NeveroddoreveN… I was up most of the night working in order to free up time for today’s match, therefore I’m grumpy. 
Note to self: don’t post on DL BEFORE coffee. 

Edited March 3, 20232 yr by WalkingCivilWar

1 hour ago, Lucifers Hero said:

From various reports the 5-6 probably were:  Fritsch (knee),  Max (back), Petracca (broken leg), Oliver (thumb/hand), Langdon (ribs),  Brown (knee).   Maybe Lever?   All very difficult to replace with someone from Casey. 

To go into a final with 3-4 injuries is risky.  Imv with 5-7 is downright foolhardy and inviting trouble.

Perhaps we compounded the injuries by also selecting players that weren't necessarily best 22.  Would Bowey/JVR have been a better choice than Melksham/Hunt/Rivers (and change some positions).  Would we have not got value bringing on our sub:  Joel Smith (whose selection had to be cover for one of the injured).  Momentum swung early in the last when the injured were spent; no Joel!  No idea why we almost never use our sub!!

Oh, and btw, it would have been helpful if Jackson had played a half decent game to help Max.  A very  poor effort by him in a vital game for his team. 

Not whitewashing the result but imv we beat ourselves in that semi mainly from poor player management decisions before and during the game.

 

Sorry to bring up some 'old chestnuts' but hopefully it doesn't encourage 'whipping boy' posts. 🥺

Great post, Luci. 👏 

Incidentally, the Fritta knee thing is true. He sustained an injury during a training session when Greg Stafford accidentally flattened him. He had surgery immediately upon season’s end.

7 minutes ago, rjay said:

Name them...there was no one at Casey that would have made a difference that's why they went with what they had

 

With respect rjay, I’d prefer a fit average quality player to an unfit top 22 player for a crucial final any day of the week. At least they will run out the whole game, instead of collapsing in a heap after half time. If we did in fact have 5-6 injured players then that is incredibly bad luck. Playing those injured players in a final is incredibly poor management imv.

Thought it was obvious for a few weeks players were sore, even Kozzie was in a knee strapping. Not sure players from Casey had the quality. Player management needs to be better this year 

1 hour ago, Lucifers Hero said:

From various reports the 5-6 probably were:  Fritsch (knee),  Max (back), Petracca (broken leg), Oliver (thumb/hand), Langdon (ribs),  Brown (knee).   Maybe Lever?   All very difficult to replace with someone from Casey. 

To go into a final with 3-4 injuries is risky.  Imv with 5-7 is downright foolhardy and inviting trouble.

Perhaps we compounded the injuries by also selecting players that weren't necessarily best 22.  Would Bowey/JVR have been a better choice than Melksham/Hunt/Rivers (and change some positions).  Would we have not got value bringing on our sub:  Joel Smith (whose selection had to be cover for one of the injured).  Momentum swung early in the last when the injured were spent; no Joel!  No idea why we almost never use our sub!!

Oh, and btw, it would have been helpful if Jackson had played a half decent game to help Max.  A very  poor effort by him in a vital game for his team. 

Not whitewashing the result but imv we beat ourselves in that semi mainly from poor player management decisions before and during the game.

 

Sorry to bring up some 'old chestnuts' but hopefully it doesn't encourage 'whipping boy' posts. 🥺

you bet it does😆

4 hours ago, rjay said:

Unfortunately if there were 5 or 6 guys in the same position we didn't have the dice to roll.

That's not true. It didn't just start in the Finals but about Round 13. Some smart tinkering and rolling of dice in the rounds for say 3/4 positions out of our injured crew might have given the team greater run  and carry. 

Agsin in the article in the Sun  today I hope we play McVee today on HBF and use Angus in the midfield along with Sparrow Jordon Harmes and Pickett plus cameo for Rivers as well. We know we can switch mid game so give our younger players a go including Chandler on the HFF as well. JVR needs a better option with less others KPF  just to alienate his chance of all of them  going up together which is a very Melb thing. Refer to first goal for Saints  last week !! 

Is Goodwin the right guy = what have the Roman's ever done for us

Don't play injured players in finals or anytime for that matter. By the semi final last year we only lasted 20 mins into the first quarter and then on we were done.

4 hours ago, rjay said:

Unfortunately if there were 5 or 6 guys in the same position we didn't have the dice to roll.

I remember talking about this last year and a few on here were lambasting me for suggesting that the club would be playing injured players.

Happens all the time and we had too many of them and should have looked at who could be replaced. 

I hope the FD sees the depth in a better light this year.

1 hour ago, Wodjathefirst said:

In 2021 we had a great side and a good run with injuries. Unfortunately in 2022 we had a poor run with injuries.

It takes a good fit side to win a premiership which means that there is always an element of luck involved…..unfortunately.

Fingers crossed for 2023.

Agreed.  We had a very good chance to win the semi but doubt we would have won a prelim given our injury list.

Nonetheless, a win in the semi would have saved a straight set exit and stopped the run of third/fourth quarter fade outs.

1 hour ago, Lefty said:

Are we repeating history? Seems no need to play and risk Lever and his dodgy ankles today. Get him cherry ripe for Round 1.

Agree just was thinking the same thing . 
Give McVee a full game and try another youngster. Jake should be ok for Round1 but if he goes off early with another leg/ankle/ knee  type issue and returns to the field it is insanity. Repeating itself AGAIN. 

2 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Agreed.  We had a very good chance to win the semi but doubt we would have won a prelim given our injury list.

Nonetheless, a win in the semi would have saved a straight set exit and stopped the run of third/fourth quarter fade outs.

And  rest for injured players does wonders !! 

So easy in hindsight. I was one who advocated that we try and rest more players during 2022, but in the end we were fighting for top4 and couldn’t risk a loss. Geelong got it tight, but are gifted wins at home in the lead up to the finals versus mainly [censored] Victorian sides or disinterested interstate teams - who they could probably beat with most of their senior backline, Hawkins or Cameron and rest from VFL.

All teams would have injured players in finals and would roll the dice to some extent. Sometimes it works (ie Brisbane in 2003) and sometimes it doesn’t.