New Melbourne captain Max Gawn on leadership and the inspiration of Demons legend Jim Stynes
Melbourne legend Jim Stynes famously resorted to extreme measures in a bid to boost his immune system during his cancer fight. It’s inspired new captain Max Gawn, who hopes he doesn’t have to resort to one “gruesome” home remedy.
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It’s hard not to like Max Gawn.
Personable, relatable and funny, it is easy to see why the one-time Domino’s pizza shop worker was overwhelmingly supported by his peers to be installed as Melbourne’s next captain.
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Gawn yesterday described the appointment as “a dream come true” and the 28-year-old put on show his growth from locker room jester to club leader by quickly smoothing out any potential wrinkles with demoted skipper Jack Viney.
The pair caught up for breakfast yesterday morning, Gawn reassuring his now vice-captain Viney that “nothing changes” in his eyes despite the title switch.
The Gawn that spoke at the press conference announcing his appointment hours later was largely what we have come to expect.
Gawn drew laughs when he accidentally referred to the Marsh Community Series as the “JLT Series” and then the “Wizard Cup”.
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He also brought smiles to the faces of the assembled media when he claimed he thought he would one day become captain from the moment he joined the Demons.
But there was also a well-spoken and thoughtful side, in which Gawn spoke in glowing terms about Viney and his own growth as a leader.
Asked how he would approach tough conversations as captain given his jovial nature, Gawn was frank.
“I’ve been nominated the class clown from when I got drafted and it took me a while to shake that,” he said.
“Being able to have a jovial conversation at the same time as being able to hit that person up is almost one of my strengths now. I’m slowly getting better at that.
“(I’m good at) being able to relate to almost every single player on the list.
“I’ve been unprofessional and I’ve now got my habits and standards to a level that’s good enough to lead a club.”
Gawn gave credit to the late Jim Stynes, his first mentor at Melbourne and a man who taught him to do “whatever it takes”.
“For him (that) was drinking his own urine to stay alive which was pretty gruesome and not to the extent I’ll get to, hopefully, to win a game of footy,” Gawn said.
“But it would be interesting drinking my own urine at three-quarter-time, wouldn’t it?”
Stynes famously turned to drinking his own urine in the hope it would help in his cancer fight.
Urine aside, Gawn has vowed to do whatever it takes to help return Melbourne to its glory days and not only play finals but end its premiership drought.
“It’s something that I really want to do,” Gawn said.
“We got a taste of it in the finals not long ago and we all want to be back there as quickly as we can.”
Originally published as New Melbourne captain Max Gawn on leadership and the inspiration of Demons legend Jim Stynes
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