About 8 - 10 years ago there was a poll/thread speculating on the greatest Demons. ( i searched but couldn't find it )

As I recall , the top three centered around Robbie, Neitz and Barassi.

I reckon now Max Gawn must not only be added to that that notable list but ... arguably ... be placed at the top.

Comments.

All hail, Sir Max. 🐐

he's the greatest ever imo

no one else comes close - barassi walked out on us, flower never lead the team to premiership glory, and neitz the same

to do what max has done - be the greatest player ever for his position - is something that will be gloried for years to come

He's now certainly the greatest ruck of all time. Having followed the Demons since the late 70's as a very young kid, the only player who would rival Max in my time would be Flower. Petracca and Oliver from the recent era are both champions but never had the influence of Gawn. Neitz, Lyon and Stynes are rightfully Hall Of Fame members but again, none could do what Max has done. He's an all time great and future AFL Legend.

Barassi and Flower were before my time, and a few years back I was certain it was going to be Oliver with Trac a solid chance too.

But Max has just grinded away year after year and just continues to be the most inspirational and powerful presence I have seen at the club.

He will be in the Hall of Fame as soon as he is eligible and have Legend status at some point too.

IMV Gawny is now the undisputed king of MFC.

I think there's a good argument for him based on performance and contribution to the team. Players won more flags in the 30s/40s and 50s/60s, but they were part of great sides. 50% of Gawn's All-Australian selections* have come in non-finals years. I'm trying hard not to fall for recency bias, but captaining the breakthrough premiership puts it over the edge for me.

Norm Smith still our greatest overall figure for playing and coaching combined, but there's still time for Max to get into coaching and deliver a few flags.

*It's a bit unfair to use modern All-Australian numbers when past players didn't have the same opportunity to be named in the side, but trade that off against Gawn not being able to win state selection.

Edited August 29, 2025Aug 29 by Supermercado

He is certainly in rarefied air. Robbie was just briiliant to watch. Barrassi likewise was a force of nature. All three exceptional and legends in very different ways.

In the words of Kozzie: "why not (all three?)"

Should have been captain of the AA too - what rubbish selecting a current non-captain to be captain!

Allan LaFontaine? Percy Beames? Tom Wills? Who knows? And of course does “greatest” mean the same as “best”? Allan LaFontaine captained Melbourne to three premierships and coached the club in the late 1940’s. He may not have been the very best Melbourne player, although he won the Truscott Medal 4 times, but an argument could be advanced that he was the greatest.

Otherwise Gawn is the very best ruckman I’ve ever seen! (Although 188cm Polly Farmer was a bit special as well)!

Barassi is the most intimidating player I’ve ever seen!

Robert Flower is the most elegant player I’ve ever seen!

And David Schwarz is the should-a-been but cruelled by injury!

I'm 43yo and been watching very closely since '93.
Max stands head and shoulders (figuratively and literally) above everyone else in that time.

if he gets a 9th AA hes the greatest demon of all - undisputed.

I grew up on Robbie Flower and I just can’t go past him as the greatest MFC player I’ve seen. However for the ability to grind it out year after year Max has few peers, 8 AA’s, Captain of a Premiership side and those continual marks down the line make him likely to become recognised as our greatest ever.

38 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

I grew up on Robbie Flower and I just can’t go past him as the greatest MFC player I’ve seen. However for the ability to grind it out year after year Max has few peers, 8 AA’s, Captain of a Premiership side and those continual marks down the line make him likely to become recognised as our greatest ever.

I wouldn’t argue Max also has the toughest role on the body in the game, and yet still gets BOG most games and carries us. Just think, we would be 17th probably each season without him.

Gawn for doing it across such a long time I think gets the nod.

But the Ox would have been the greatest for talent.

2 hours ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

About 8 - 10 years ago there was a poll/thread speculating on the greatest Demons. ( i searched but couldn't find it )

As I recall , the top three centered around Robbie, Neitz and Barassi.

I reckon now Max Gawn must not only be added to that that notable list but ... arguably ... be placed at the top.

Comments.

Thanks for the OP, BBO, and 👍s to all your respondents.

I've seen all the 'modern' candidates, from 'Twinkletoes' Barassi (my Mum's nickname for him😊) as a 31-backed kid, through 'Tulip', as a carefree young adult footy player myself, and Neita (and Schwarta) as a parent rusting three kids of my own, with their help, onto the Dees and who took their fancy (hi, Stinga!), to now having the space of retirement to savour Max (and all our peri-Premiership players).

So, I can try to compare them, but I recognise I come to doing so (and some others around them - let alone those before them, who I can't) from the pretty different perspectives I've had over 6 decades.

Where I get to with Max is that his is a near-uniquely long, high quality, steadily accumulated body of 'getting the job done', accompanied by a personality that also makes him a singular leader and a singular presence.

At his height, he's supposed to win marking, ruck and physical contests, so I'm cautious to single him out on purely football criteria. You could with the others, Robbie in particular.

So, I'm gonna construct an Rowing-Eights-sized podium and put Max, Robbie, RDB, Neita and a you-choose-them four others together on its top level.

Here endeth, etc...

My personal top 10 (in order), based on what I've personally witnessed.

1. Max Gawn

2. Clayton Oliver (until 2023)

3. Jeff Farmer

4. Gary Lyon

5. Christian Petracca

6. Jack Viney

7. Angus Brayshaw

8. Jim Stynes

9. Kozzie Pickett

10. The Ox

Honourable mentions

• Steven May

• Adam Yze

• Sean White

• Brett Lovett

• Nathan Jones

Max Gawn doesn't need to maintain his current form for very much longer to not only be the greatest demon ever but to be firmly in the conversation for the greatest player ever full stop.

He is the not only the greatest Demon of all time he is the greatest ruckman of at least the AFL era, and probably ever.

Once he actually hangs up the boots this will al become clear as day.

He makes the greatest case since Barass and Tulip for no.1

Hard to put players against other players from vastly different eras but he certainly stacks up against anyone you would care to put him against, the fact he is so respected by the entire football world says as much, never in my lifetime has someone from Melbourne had that level of respect in the broader football world, Barass is the only one that comes to mind but I never saw him play.

Gawn selected unopposed for my lifetime, at least that I can remember, so let’s say since 1990. I have no point of reference before that.

I agree but with one caveat...

So far.

I have the smallest glimmer of a feeling that his successor is already on our list.

10 hours ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

About 8 - 10 years ago there was a poll/thread speculating on the greatest Demons. ( i searched but couldn't find it )

As I recall , the top three centered around Robbie, Neitz and Barassi.

I reckon now Max Gawn must not only be added to that that notable list but ... arguably ... be placed at the top.

Comments.

No one goes ahead of Robbie, no matter what.

Happy for Max to be next.

30 minutes ago, Little Goffy said:

I agree but with one caveat...

So far.

I have the smallest glimmer of a feeling that his successor is already on our list.

Big call…

7 hours ago, Ted Lasso said:

Max Gawn doesn't need to maintain his current form for very much longer to not only be the greatest demon ever but to be firmly in the conversation for the greatest player ever full stop.

Indisputably the greatest ever ruckman