Max Gawn’s cricket links to Frankston

Max Gawn took his early steps to sporting fame as an under-12s opening bowler with a Mornington Peninsula cricket club.

Max Gawn speaks with his players during the 2021 AFL Grand Final. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The messy writing in an old cricket scorebook confirms it.

Max Gawn was a Long Island Cricket Club under-12s player in the season of 2002-03.

Yes, the Max Gawn.

The future Melbourne premiership captain played a handful of games for the Frankston-based Islanders while attending a nearby primary school, where his mum Sandra taught.

Although his stint at the club was only brief, Long Island is proudly claiming Gawn as “our boy’’ — even though Max’s memory of it is sketchy at best.

“We contacted Max via his lovely Mum during the week,” Long Island president James Haley said.

“And Max genuinely can’t remember any players or coaches names.

“But I’m sure it led him to where he is now. I mean, he could have ended up a cricketer!’’

Max Gawn played for Long Island's under-12s in season 2002-03.

One of the scorebooks shows that Gawn made 2 retired against Frankston YCW at the postage stamp Trotting Track, a far cry from the MCG or Perth Stadium.

One of the kids who played alongside Gawn was Jake Middleton, who went on to play a lot of senior cricket at Long Island and is well known as a fanatical Demons supporter. If only he knew he was in illustrious company.

While Gawn is Long Island’s first AFL premiership captain, he’s not the club’s first premiership player.

That honour belongs to the great Dermott Brereton, who played juniors at the club.

Haley points out that five AFL players played cricket at Long Island.

“Derm’s a Long Island junior. Johnny Georgiou, the Lonie twins and our boy Max,” he said.

“It’s funny to think that the premiership captain played some junior cricket at Long Island.

“I’d like to think that he realised cricket wasn’t for him playing at Long Island and put more time and effort into his footy but I’m not sure.

“We can’t quite claim that.”