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https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1633042/gawn-inks-new-contract/

Congratulations on the literal sh!ttest take of the season.

Don't need to find a backup ruck if your main ruck never retires.

Goldstein plays aged 36. Sandilands plays age 36. Mumford plays aged 35 In Gawn's last year (2027) he'll be 35. He's about to earn AA at 32. It's hardly a stretch to extend him now, especially as the club wants to know it's spending capacity on the eve of trades.

Watched the replay last night. Clearly Goodwin told the players that the shackles are off and it was time to just go and take the game on and have a bit of fun. I thought whilst Rivers was poor by foot, he Bowey and Langdon were the ones that really got us going with their run and carry. They were top 3 for metres gained. Please Simon, implement this game plan over the off season. We looked dangerous when we take the game on and get it quickly into our forwards. No coincidence that Petty, JVR and Turner had combination of 10 goals between them because they got one on one contests due to quick ball movement instead of being bombed on their heads in a pack. Thought Koltyn Tholstrup played a good game and had 24 pressure acts which is impressive for a first year player. Have said this before on here a while back, but Daniel Turner up forward reminds me so much of David Neitz in the way he moves and jumps at the contest and his kicking action is eerily similar. He's aggressive and hits the contests hard. Everyone thing you live as a key forward. Sam Collins started on him and by quarter time they had to move him of Turner because he could stay with him. Collins is no slouch and one of the better defenders in the league, so that's a huge confidence booster for Disco going into the pre season. There is something to work with there. He needs a huge off season in terms of getting his fitness levels up, but if he trains as a full time forward over the summer then reason why he can't kick 30-35 goals next year Blake Howes played his best game for the club. Looked far more composed and assured with ball in hand. Could be a smoke for rising star nomination. Liked Marty Hores game as well. He's worth keeping on the rookie list as depth and experience. Always puts himself in good positions to take an intercept mark. Gold Coast are an absolute joke to the competition. The amount of talent they have on their list to then perform the way that they have this is just pathetic. I'd be going full raid on their list to pick off their young talent.

My very good mail has it that Trac wasn't happy with this initial press release after his injury. It was too footy centric where he would have prefered a bit more sympathy towards the seriousness of the injury and that footy is taking a back seat whilst he concentrates on his health and the timeline will look after itself. This on top of everything else this year has led to leaks from his management, particularly wanting to play for a club with a bigger following so he can play in front of bigger crowds and set himself up more after footy. He's been alone with his thoughts for too long and not been around the club. He needs a cuddle and reassurance and we'll get him back on side. He will be held to his contract.

Are you seriously ok? Gawn with 1000 injuries (1000, really?) is the best goddamn ruckman in this game, by a very large margin too. He is currently ranked better than in any other year of his career. He’s also a brilliant leader. What the [censored] sort of idiotic take is this? You don’t think this man can contribute to our club for another 3 years? Both on field and off the field? Would he not be an amazing mentor to all the young guys coming thru, especially in the ruck? [censored] go away!

Getting some of that Petracca coin?

Sweet - that’ll be 10 AA Jackets by then

What a [censored] champion this guy is. An amazing leader and player in every way. Always puts the club first. Well done Gawny, and well done Georgie boy you are a gem ❤️💙

Just watched the game. Viney played like he was in a final. Just incredible leadership. I thought Fritsch did much better leading more upfield. Got him into the game. I'll say it again, we'll really miss Tommo as May waters out next year. We should have played him more often this year. Tholstrup and Disco are really coming along. I know we've recruited a few dodgy players over the last few years, but we have some great young kids coming through. A great win today. I think everyone involved in the club needed that win today Go Dees

So he will retire a 3 time premiership captain.

Jesus I don't agree with all things @DeeSpencer but the pile on has been a bit pathetic purely for having a different opinion. If you doesn't agree, cool, either ignore him or make a counter argument instead of dropping the nuffy response of "go and support another team". DS is clearly a passionate supporter who clearly doesn't see things through the rosy red and blue lenses like some on here do. He just calls it as he sees it and I think it's a good to have different sets of opinions even if you don't agree with it because it gives a different perspective on the topic. Now on the Max signing, the way I look at it is that they're now putting a transition timeline for our next hire apprentice. We'll clearly target a young ruck either this off season or next and with Kalani White also coming through he'll have at least 2 years with Max as an apprentice. That's great development right there! I would like to think that if we are to start a transition plan then that means Max will slowly start to phase out to a forward instead of a starting ruck giving the next person more opportunities as a starting ruckman and Max as the secondary chop out. Max will also finish the year on 224 games. This means he'll surpass 250 games which is just a remarkable effort considering how slow he started with his AFL! Personally I just didn't think he'd get there at all just with all hid injuries he had earlier on. All in all a great signing for the footy club! but please let's give him a chop out with the media commitment when [censored] hits the fan. Max shouldn't have to be the face of the club amongst everything negative.

Timing is everything. The man is class by every definition. Love you Max.

I finally got my three year old vaguely interested in watching footy. We watched the game yesterday and he wanted "Big Maxy to win". Well done, big fella. Anything to stave off that bloody Carlton theme song that my son keeps singing.

No way they select hunter. At least i hope not - i would be livid if they did. He doesn't deserve any favours. All the talk about clarry this season has helped hunter escape scrutiny. He was good in the first half of the 2023 season, but has been a joke since - particularly this year. This season we lost 2 senior players for the season before a ball was bounced (gus, smith), had other senior that basically alao missed the whole season through injury (spargo, bbb and mcadam) and had yet another unavailable for two thirds of the season (melk). And to that list we can add Hunter. So, from a list of 44 players, we were down seven senior players, forcing us to play kids. And in addition, multiple senior players missed blocks of games (May, tracc, maxy, salo, bowey, lever). I understand Hunter battled injury, but to he blunt I question his commitment to his rehabilitation - not to mention the club. We desperately needed hardened, senior players on deck and he looked a million miles from a dedicated, elite footballer desperate to get back into the ones. And forget leadership - he's offered us nothing. Hunter is the anti nibbla and I expect we've seen the last of him, both at the dees and as an AFL footballer.

I was really impressed with Marty Hore, he looked really solid, beat his opponent consistently and some of his kicking really opened up the game for us. a role we've really missed since Hibbo retired.

Tholstrup - his best game Very tough on Billings - 21 disposals going at 90% is a very good game.

I have ran the numbers and if some results go our way and we can make up around 120 point turnaround in score for / against we can displace Hawthorn and pass Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon on the ladder. Here is a breakdown re what needs to play out. - *Hawthorn loses to Richmond and North - *Carlton loses to West Coast and St Kilda - Essendon loses or draws to Brisbane - *Melbourne beats Collingwood *Re percentage we have to make up around 7.5% on Hawthorn and 6.5% on Carlton which is roughly a 20 goal differential. To be safe we should try to beat Collingwood by exactly 186 points. Essendon are only 2 points ahead of us and have a worse percentage so either a loss or draw will work. Aside from Hawthorn v Richmond which Hawthorn should win, I reckon the other games are at least a 50 / 50 in our favour. Clarko will get his boys up against his old side, Carlton are ravaged with injury and have 6 forced changes vs West Coast, St Kilda are playing well and Brisbane should beat Essendon. In all of the media hysterics over the past couple of weeks not one person in the media have reported on our narrow path to victory. Dees!

Jack Viney liked the post 🧐

My theory is that when Oliver isn't playing Viney becomes 'numero uno' of the inside midfielders and his game lifts accordingly. We saw the same last year when Oliver didn't play. He came 7th in the Brownlow lasty year. Without checking my guess many of them were when Oliver didn't play or when he was playing injured. He will get 3 votes yesterday but deserved many more. Viney's game yesterday was herculean, especially after he had a serious knock to his shoulder in the first quarter. Showing the world the dees aren't done and underestimate us at one's peril.

"Aye, fight and you may die. Run and you'll live, at least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!" Max Gawn is our Brave Heart. Red and Blue. We will win another premiership because we happen to have the most remarkable people playing all at the same time: Gawn, Petracca, Oliver, May and Lever (apologies to to all the awesome others) and the leadership (shout out to you JV and our coach SG) that will make it happen. Imagine how you'd feel if you were told that your team which finished with 11/23 wins had just recruited Petracca and Oliver. Welcome 2025.

No one is getting carried away, but let the supporters smile even if it’s for one week. Everybody knows there’s a lot of work to be done over the summer, some just can’t enjoy a win.

It’s always a bit easier to play with more freedom when there is little on the line. But while we did play well, I don’t think there was any radical change in game plan or methodology - we simply played a side that offered virtually no resistance after half time. I couldn’t believe how pathetic the Suns were in letting us do as we pleased after half time. It was bordering on a training drill. It wasn’t a true reflection of the usual pressure you face week in week out in senior footy.

I've heard MFC's interest has simmered due to his tribunal cultural issues

If North beat the Dogs. Tigers beat the Hawks. WCE beat Carlton. North beat the Hawks Saints beat Carlton Lions beat Essendon All we need is a 100pt win against the pies..

Desperately want to beat these bastards!

@DeeSpencer again ruining what could be a good debate with unnecessary guff like this: Criticising his leadership by signing on at a time when commitment to the club has never been more important from our leaders is an absolutely awful take that somehow surpasses your other awful takes. Is there a debate to be had about signing him for another three seasons, instead of perhaps two? Possibly, yes. But as is so often the case you launch with ridiculous OTT stuff like this and put people off side. FWIW I’m with @Gator - lesser rucks have recently played to age 35+, and Gawn is not only the GOAT but he is physically gifted. Age shouldn’t constrain him.

Well done Captain Max Gawn and George, thanks for extending your stay at MFC you bring so much confidence and joy to the club, your 250 is now well and truely in sight and who knows what you are capable of. Thanks also to MFC for organising and announcing this great news at such a critical time in this devilish year. Bravo.❤️💙

Arguably the best ever

One of my favourite pieces of play yesterday was Petty’s mark for the first goal of Q2. Petty out bodied Collins, while Disco had body on Ballard. Bit of a shame Clohesy was allowed to come in but Billings was correctly on the defensive side. Lucky he wasn’t any bigger. Too many times over the past 3 years marking forwards have been left to compete with 3 defenders or more. Forwards need to be as much or more accountable than defenders. Looking forward to seeing the results of another preseason.

That is his choice. Why is he isolating himself from the club? It feels like he’s trying to make the relationship with the club untenable so to force the club to trade him. I hope we hold him to his contract unless we get a deal so good it can’t be refused.

Even with finals out of the question, finishing the season on the back of back to back wins and seeing this game plan start to work could really set us up for a pre season! i hope we attack this game with as close to our best side as we can and beat the Pies.

Kicked 6.1 yesterday in the Q Colts.

I've learnt over time with some of his arguments to either shake my head or just laugh and ignore. I don't know who me said it before but let's not give it air time and take away the good news story.

Totally fine to have a different opinion. But he literally inferred that Gawn is a poor leader for extending for 3 years and not going year by year, and collecting a paycheck, which is a [censored] take and completely bloody unnecessary for a warrior of our footy club! It’s never what you say, but how you say it. In a week where our club has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, would it kill supporters to be happy about some positive news?

The most influential Demon of my lifetime and pretty close to the best ever player - probably only Flower ahead of him. The greatest ruckman of this century and the best since Simon Madden. And still playing at an elite level. A tremendous leader as well. Thanks for the show of faith Max!

Very shallow! Incapable of seeing the larger game that is in play!

Agree 1000%. Contract is nost likely on less $$$$ to enable the club to go after free agents.

Brilliant news. Viney next please!

Bring Andrew Mac to where he belongs and give GCS the handful of rubbish late picks they used for him and not a pick 5 where they matched the bid. Seems fair to me as they AFL changed the rules in his draft year and are about to change them back only 2 years later. Of course it won't happen...

Anyone who thinks Viney is “as good as gone” is a moron.

Could we have something a little special on our hands with Disco Turner?

Means we'll draft a second ruck some time in 2030 😅🤣

Don't be such a pessimist. 2021/25/26/27 equals FOUR time premiership captain!

Love club. Love skip. 🔴🔵

Onya Gawny. You will be a club great and leave behind a tremendous legacy. Will be a future hall of famer, team of the century and one of the best of Melbourne. Glad you play for the Red and the Blue.

I don’t think so. He can be honoured another way, at half time for example We have a game of footy to play and hopefully win and our young tall forwards finally started to click

So you try and split the stoppage attendances between Clarry and Viney. Or make them both rotate as the defensive mids and attacking mids. You've definitely got a point that Jack stands up without Clarry.

I would give Hunter his 200th and farewell game next week, on the strict proviso he makes Maynard and Moore know he was out there and if possible legally of course, fixes up Maynard.