Max Gawn says confidence is high at Melbourne after win over Collingwood

CONFIDENCE and Melbourne. They are two words that haven’t gone together for the past decade, but Max Gawn says the Demons finally possess it.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 17: Max Gawn of the Demons is congratulated by Jack Viney after kicking a goal during the round four AFL match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Melbourne Demons at Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 17, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

CONFIDENCE and Melbourne.

They are two words which have seemingly gone together like chocolate and cheese for the past decade, but Max Gawn says the Demons finally possess it.

And it’s those meaningless trio of pre-season games to thank.

The Dees will hunt a 3-2 start for the first time since 2010 against the besieged Tigers and Gawn pointed out the club sat 5-2 including the NAB Challenge.

Gawn said the Demons have led in the final quarter of all seven of those games and while they only drew level against North Melbourne in Round 3, it is a club record.

Including Round 23 last year, the Demons have now been level or in front near the death of eight consecutive games for the first time since Champion Data began in 1999.

Gawn said Sunday’s 35-point salute against Collingwood wiped another area of concern — poor starts — while the ruckman ended another unwanted club streak late in the match.

Gawn’s last-quarter goal delivered the Demons back-to-back scores of 100 points for the first time since Todd Viney was caretaker coach in 2011, while the six-goal onslaught early delivered the Dees their first quarter-time lead since Round 18 last year.

Max Gawn celebrates his last-quarter goal with teammate Jack Viney. Picture: Getty Images

The next hurdle? Producing consecutive wins for the first time since 2011, a feat yet to be achieved under outgoing coach Paul Roos.

“We don’t want to be that team that everyone predicts to have a bad game one in every three weeks,” Gawn said.

“That’s what we’ve got to build on. We’re slowly starting to build the right brand of footy that we want to play, and if we keep playing that brand we can hopefully show every team.

“You have to go into every game thinking you can win, otherwise you’ve lost it before the start of the game.”

Gawn, 24, has blossomed into one of the game’s best big men and said his quest was to join the elite ranks.

Max Gawn goes up agaimst Brodie Grundy in a ruck contest on Sunday. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Champion Data this year rated Gawn “above average” — one category shy of elite — and Gawn believed he had prevailed in two of his ruck battles this season.

“There’s probably a group of five or six really elite AFL ruckman and I just want to have my name in that,” he said.

The 208cm star will likely confront returning Richmond ruckman Ivan Maric for the first time in their careers on Sunday night.

The Demons have prevailed against the Tigers in their past two encounters with last year’s triumph inspired by Jesse Hogan’s breakout performance against All-Australian Alex Rance.

Originally published as Max Gawn says confidence is high at Melbourne after win over Collingwood