AFL 2024: Max Gawn, Jeremy McGovern set to miss after ankle, ribs injuries

Max Gawn says ‘I currently can’t walk’, but that hasn’t stopped the Melbourne captain setting an ambitious timeline for his comeback from a chipped fibula.

Max Gawn of the Demons. Picture: Michael Klein

Melbourne captain Max Gawn insists he will push for a round 19 return against Fremantle even though his own club’s medical staff has already ruled it out.

Gawn has the Demons’ crucial trip to Perth in his sights despite suffering a chipped fibula, which the club said would sideline him for 2-3 matches.

Fronting reporters on crutches with his right ankle in a moon boot on Tuesday, the Melbourne skipper backed recruit Tom Fullarton to take the No.1 ruck role in his absence.

The Demons take on Essendon (Sam Draper or Todd Goldstein) and Fremantle away (Luke Jackson, Sean Darcy) in their next matches, having only just regained their spark in a strong win over West Coast.

If Gawn misses three weeks he will be absent for the home game against GWS and in-form ruckman Kieren Briggs.

But Gawn said he was intent on only missing Saturday night’s clash against Essendon as he eyed off a series of “eight-point games” integral to the Demons’ finals hopes.

“I’ve learnt a lot of things over my 16-year career to be able to cope with a little one or two-week injury … I’ll keep floating out the word ‘one’ even though the club won’t,” he said.

“I’m very bullish, whenever I get a target, I’m always trying to beat that, and that’s what I’m trying to do.

“I can’t honestly tell you that I’ll beat that (2-3 weeks) because I currently can’t walk, but the human body is amazing, hopefully in the next day or two I’ll be able to walk around and what not, then I can try to push the envelope and see if I can get back as quickly as I can.

“I’ll be going to Perth no matter what the following week, I’m hoping to play, but there’s a chance to coach as well.”

Max Gawn receives treatment on his ankle. Picture: Graham Denholm/AFL Photos/via Getty Images.

Gawn said Fullarton, who has managed 19 games in six years but caught the Demons’ eye in two finals he played against hem in 2021-22, was ready to step up if selected.

“He started (pre-season) really, really well … he was testing me out there in January, and unfortunately hurt his hammy leading into that round 0 game and the nod went to Josh Schache,” Gawn said.

“I daresay if he was fully fit, he might have been debuting in that first game.

“He’s had to bide his time now for 16, 17 weeks – there’s multiple different ways they could still go, (but) if it is with Fullarton, I’d back him in.”

Gawn said there were “no hard feelings” between him and No.1 draft pick Harley Reid after their surprise halftime scuffle during Melbourne’s win over West Coast on Sunday.

The altercation came just after Gawn had suffered his ankle injury, although he played on into the final term before being subbed out.

“That’s what I told him (at halftime), ‘I love watching him play’,” he joked when asked about his praise of Reid prior to the match.

“I was pretty injured at that time, I hurt my ankle about a minute before that, funnily enough with Harley Reid.

“I just wanted to have a few words with my opposing ruck and then Harley came from absolutely nowhere.

“We laughed our whole way through that little scuffle we had, there’s no hard feelings.”

Melbourne’s MCG clash against Essendon on Saturday night will be its annual Round for Reach, with this year marking the 30-year anniversary of Jim Stynes’ Reach Foundation.

“What Reach has focused on for 30 years – it started with Jim Stynes and it continues with all of us today – is to create an environment where we can truly build social and emotional resilience for young people, and they are equipped to deal with everything that comes in their life,” Reach chairman Fergus Watts said.

“Everyone go to reach.org.au, donate $11 just to keep Jim’s legacy alive, and keep us working with between 40,000 and 50,000 young people every year, developing them into a stronger mental position to tackle life.”

Melbourne football boss Alan Richardson said on Monday night Gawn would be sidelined in a critical period of the club’s push for September.

“Scans have today shown that Max has sustained a chip to the base of his right fibula,” Richardson said.



“While this is disappointing news for Max, fortunately he won’t require surgery.



“Max is the ultimate professional and leader and we know he’ll attack his rehab and continue to play a pivotal role in our group over the next few weeks, albeit from the sidelines.



“While Max is the calibre of player that can’t be replaced easily, it provides an exciting opportunity for others to come in and play their role in our side.”

Gawn told reporters on Monday he was battling with the injury and had been surprised how sore he had woken up

“It’s pretty sore, I must admit. I woke up very sore. Obviously played the second half in a bit of distress,” he said.

“At this stage, I’m thinking (I will miss against Essendon), just because of how sore it is. But I’ve seen some stuff that the human body can do and it can certainly turn around pretty quickly.

“I’m always looking quite optimistic at these things. I don’t exactly know what it really is yet so we’re waiting for a bit of information. I’m sure we’ll get it to you this afternoon. I’d say it’s more of a short-term thing – I’m hoping – but it is pretty sore.”

Max Gawn was subbed out in the final quarter. Picture: Michael Klein

It is a huge boost for Essendon given his ruck prowess, with back-up Tom Fullarton likely to replace him after being recruited from Brisbane to provide ruck cover.

Essendon’s Sam Draper played his best game since last year against Collingwood after overcoming groin issues and a meniscus concern, so he will be primed to dominate the centre square hitouts.

Fullarton had 23 possessions and 30 hitouts in round 14 of the VFL but did not play on the weekend given he was an AFL emergency. Will Verrall had 28 hitouts in the VFL for Casey.

The Demons will release an injury update on Monday afternoon but are hopeful Gawn’s ankle issue is not serious.

It is an unwelcome setback for the Demons, who traded away potential 2024 All-Australian Brodie Grundy last year.

The Demons were at their best on Sunday against West Coast as their youngsters in Caleb Windsor, Jacob Van Rooyen and Koltyn Tholstrup came to the fore in a dominant victory.

Jake Melksham also made an impressive return from a round 24 ACL tear with two goals and a goal assist to help a forward line that seemed to get its mojo back.

EAGLES WOES’ ESCALATE AFTER McGOVERN INJURY

Adam Simpson’s woes have escalated further off the back of news that in form defender Jeremy McGovern has broken ribs and will be an unlikely starter this week against Brisbane at Optus Stadium.

McGovern was still in Melbourne on Monday after being hospitalised following the 54 point loss to Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday night.

“Gov was discharged from hospital last night, he is still in Melbourne with a staff member. When we have more information we will update everyone,” a club spokesman said in a statement.

Jeremy McGovern is likely to miss this week’s game with broken ribs. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

While the Eagles do have coverage for McGovern should be not be able to play it would mean the loss of arguably the club’s form player in recent weeks.

McGovern had been one of few Eagles to stand up in recent weeks. He was rated the club’s best against Essendon in a 30 point loss at Marvel Stadium in round 15, he took nine marks and had 20 disposals against Hawthorn when the Eagles were destroyed by Hawthorn at Optus Stadium in round 16.

And when Melbourne went through West Coast’s team defence like a knife through hot butter in the first quarter on Sunday, kicking seven goals to blow the game open, McGovern was one of few Eagles to cope in the onslaught when he gathered four first quarter intercept possessions.

The Eagles have been encouraged by the development of young defender Harry Edwards who along with McGovern and Elliot Yeo was one of three players sent to the renowned Aspetar rehabilitation clinic in Qatar over summer and he would be the likely inclusion for McGovern if the four time All-Australian is unable to play against the Lions.

Jeremy McGovern of the Eagles goes down during the match against Hawthorn. Picture: Jack Foley/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

But it does complicate matters further for Simpson as he attempts to salvage his coaching tenure at the Eagles after 10 wins from his last 70 games and bottom two finishes in 2022 and 2023 with a bottom four finish looming again this season.

The prevailing view at the moment is that the Eagles will attempt to get through to the end of the season with Simpson at the helm before making a decision on his future then.

But another poor performance like the away loss to Adelaide (99 points) or the home loss to Hawthorn (61 points) could change that timeline significantly

McGovern has a history of rib injuries. He nearly missed the 2018 grand final after getting injured in the preliminary final against Melbourne.

Originally published as AFL 2024: Max Gawn, Jeremy McGovern set to miss after ankle, ribs injuries