Max is the latest in line of Melbourne’s premiership captains and he sits on the same high pedestal on my vision as the one who skippered the club to its previous two flags in 1964 and in 1960 — the great Ronald Dale Barassi who also played in four others before that in 1959, 1957, 1956 and 1955. 

On Sunday, Max reaches game 200 and I salute him for that but what I’m looking forward to and I reckon Max is aiming for is to play game 204 on the MCG in just over a month’s time in a winning grand final against Collingwood.

The achievement of 204 games on that day will make him equal in the number of games played for Melbourne and premiership cups held aloft as skipper of this great club with Barassi.

A coincidence, but one worth looking forward to over the next 40 plus days to come.

Take it to the Max!

 

I remember that game against Essendon early in his career when he was kicking those goals and I thought he will become a cult figure at this club 

Great flashback to game number 1. Think this was Jeremy Howe's first game to from memory.

Dennis Cometti at 2:13 😄

"Oooookay..."

On 8/15/2023 at 9:26 PM, Doug Reemer said:

I was at both of their break out games.

I sat in the players stand at Kadina Park the day Gawn come of age and and when Nibbler kicked 3 and Jones and Vince put on a clinic and we spanked the cats on Corey Enrights 300th!

Bliss!

The best captain in the AFL. The best ruckman in the AFL. Inspirational clubman. Has endured incredible struggles, injuries, and setbacks and worked his guts out to get to the pinnacle and win a flag. Sets lofty goals and works hard to achieve them. Maintains an amazing work-rate to sustain incredible high standards and results to give the club every chance of continued flags. SO glad he is a Demon. I wish for you Max a brilliant 200th game. May your team-mates get around you, may the supporters turn up in droves, May you kick 6 goals, have a best on ground performance, with Nibbler in his 150th kicking 4, and we thrash the Hawks by 10 goals. Go Max. Go Dees

10 hours ago, Demon Jack said:

Great flashback to game number 1. Think this was Jeremy Howe's first game to from memory.

Dennis Cometti at 2:13 😄

"Oooookay..."

God so many players I’ve completely forgotten about. Seeing Sylvia in the team song was so sad. And funny to think Green was still playing when Gawny debuted. 

5 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Bliss!

I couldn’t believe how many cats fans left early.

It was beautiful.

So many comments here capturing so beautifully how magnificent Max is and his extraordinary contribution to our club and the game. It has been a privilege watching him grow into the greatest ruckman in the modern era. A unique personality and a talismanic leader. Well done Max on 200 games.

14 hours ago, Demon Jack said:

Great flashback to game number 1. Think this was Jeremy Howe's first game to from memory.

Dennis Cometti at 2:13 😄

"Oooookay..."

And one has a premiership medal and lets hope the other never gets one 

14 hours ago, Demon Jack said:

Great flashback to game number 1. Think this was Jeremy Howe's first game to from memory.

Dennis Cometti at 2:13 😄

"Oooookay..."

Are you sure it is him? Got a free kick....

Congratulations to Magnificent Max 🔴🔵 

On 8/15/2023 at 3:18 PM, dice said:

I wonder how Jim how a champ like he was would go against Max

On 8/18/2023 at 11:39 PM, Demon Jack said:

Great flashback to game number 1. Think this was Jeremy Howe's first game to from memory.

Dennis Cometti at 2:13 😄

"Oooookay..."

4:12 look at the sneaky whack on the head from Fletcher.

So it has been happening from day dot.

1 minute ago, Chook said:

4:12 look at the sneaky whack on the head from Fletcher.

So it has been happening from day dot.

Fletcher was as cheap as they came with that sort of stuff.

I hope that there's a good turnout to celebrate this great man's milestone 

On 8/15/2023 at 9:26 PM, Doug Reemer said:

I was at both of their break out games.

I sat in the players stand at Kadina Park the day Gawn come of age and and when Nibbler kicked 3 and Jones and Vince put on a clinic and we spanked the cats on Corey Enrights 300th!

I was in Las Vegas for a bucks week. It was evening there (the day before). I had mates messaging me in Australia saying "What is going on!?". No one could believe it. Scrambled to find a place to watch it and ended up at The Tropicana watching it in a very dusty, small and old sports/betting bar that by chance had it on one very small screen amongst a wall of about 50 TVs. We had been to Penn and Teller earlier that night and had effectively walked the length of the Strip after the show to find somewhere playing the game. Anyone that has been to Vegas know how long that walk is. Let's just say I had lost a lot of water weight that night. From memory there was a Carlton game playing in a few bars but looking at the fixture it must have been a replay of the Carlton Port game from the day before, playing on ESPN. 

Anyway we watched the entire last quarter and there were a lot of elderly Americans looking very confused at a bunch of Aussie cheering hysterically as we squinted to watch a TV effectively the size of the screen on the back of a plane seat in economy.

Afterwards we walked the strip and found a very ****ty rock bar offering $30USD for unlimited drinks for 3 hours. Found out later the place had a shooting there a week earlier and so they were basically herding people in off the street with cheap drinks.

All in all turned out to be a great night lol

Where were YOU for Gawn's breakout game?