Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver, tie for Melbourne best-and-fairest
Max Gawn and Clayton Oliver have tied for Melbourne’s best-and-fairest award as the Demons president vows the team will ‘respond hard’ after crashing down the ladder in 2019.
Melbourne
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Melbourne pair Max Gawn and Clayton Oliver have been crowned joint winners of the club’s best-and-fairest award.
In a thrilling fishing to the count, Gawn polled a maximum 40 votes in the narrow Round 23 loss to North Melbourne to tie with Oliver on 464 votes.
Co-captain Jack Viney finished third on 323 votes, midfielder James Harmes (319) fourth and goalkicker Christian Petracca (293) fifth.
Hard nut Angus Brayshaw, who played in the spotlight all season after finishing third in last year’s Brownlow Medal, placed eighth in the count.
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Demons president Glen Bartlett says the Dees plan to “respond hard” in 2020 after crashing down the ladder this season.
Bartlett said the Demons failed to live up to expectations this season but have since made a raft of changes to revamp the football department.
The appointment of new senior assistant coach Alan Richardson and fitness boss Darren Burgess have headlined the key moves.
Burgess is expected to play a significant role over summer helping sharply improve the players’ fitness base after it was wrecked by injury and surgeries last pre-season.
Speaking at the best-and-fairest event, Bartlett said the Dees had to evolve in the wake of a dismal year, slumping to second-last on the ladder.
“We know this competition is brutal and to rise again we must evolve and learn from the lessons and the realities we faced this year,” Bartlett said.
“We expect to respond and respond hard and that will only come from change and plenty of hard work and sticking together.
“The mark of a great club is how you respond in the face of adversity when you are challenged.”
Bartlett paid tribute to departed assistant coaches Brandan McCartney, Craig Jennings and Jade Rawlings, who has joined North Melbourne
Gawn, 27, has now won back-to-back Keith “Bluey” Truscott trophies and will be strongly considered for a senior leadership position, including a potential co-captaincy role, for next season.
Gawn could replace Nathan Jones, who confirmed he will be stepping down as co-captain.
The three-time All-Australian ruckman had a monster performance in the last game of the season, racking up three goals, 26 possessions and 41 hitouts against the Roos to share the best-and-fairest with Oliver.
Oliver, 22, has enjoyed a remarkable start to his career, finishing top-two in the best-and-fairest in each of the past three seasons.
The clearance king first won the award in his second season in 2017 and is now considered one of the best onballers in the competition.
But Melbourne will seek more consistency and accountability form its star midfield unit next season as the club looks to climb back up the ladder.
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The Demons slumped from a preliminary final finish in 2018 to second-last spot on the ladder this year, prompting a significant shake-up of the football department.
New recruit Steven May polled heavily in his eight games to surge into 13th spot with 154 votes after an injury-plagued season.
Youngster Bayley Fritsch was the big improver in 2019, placing sixth, while Christian Salem finished seventh.
Key defender Sam Frost, who is weighing up offers to join Hawthorn and the Kangaroos, capped off a decent season, finishing ninth.
MELBOURNE BEST AND FAIREST TOP 10
Equal 1. Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver — 464
3. Jack Viney — 323
4. James Harmes — 319
5. Christian Petracca — 293
6. Bayley Fritsch — 230
7. Christian Salem — 213
8. Angus Brayshaw — 210
9. Sam Frost — 204
10. Jayden Hunt — 199
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