Melbourne captain Max Gawn ready to take on Fremantle duo after calf scare

Max Gawn has entered the conversation as possibly the best AFL ruckman ever and that’s the sort of faith his coach has in him.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 26: Steven May of the Demons is congratulated by Max Gawn after kicking a goal during the round 11 AFL match between Narrm (the Melbourne Demons) v Euro-Yroke (the St Kilda Saints) at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on May 26, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin isn’t planning on bringing in an extra ruckman as backup for superstar skipper Max Gawn until the back half of the season despite conceding the six-time all-Australian plays with regular issues from the “most combative position” in the game.

Goodwin had ruled Gawn out of last week’s clash with St Kilda due to a calf issue before the skipper declared himself ready to play and he subsequently destroyed St Kilda earning a perfect 10 in the AFL Coaches Association votes after a masterful display.

This Sunday he’ll take on the Fremantle tag team of former protege Luke Jackson and Sean Darcy when the Demons face the Dockers in Alice Springs but Goodwin isn’t likely to add any ruck specific help for Gawn.

Forward Jacob van Rooyen and Harrison Petty, who was subbed out of the win over the Saints with a foot issue but is set to make the trip to the Northern Territory, will give Gawn help as needed.

"That's the path he's on."

.@kanecornes believes Max Gawn is on track to become a Legend in the Hall of Fame.#9FootyClassified | Live on 9Now 🖥️ pic.twitter.com/jqYunuPNEG

— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) May 27, 2024

Jackson, who played in Melbourne’s 2021 premiership team with Gawn, said his former teammate was the “best ever” ruckman and Goodwin said his big man would “rise to the challenge” of taking on the Fremantle pair, because the skipper craved the bigger challenges.

“We’d never take a risk with Max, he carries corks most weeks, as do a lot of rucks, it’s one of the most combative spots,” Goodwin said on Thursday.

“We certainly monitor Max. We know how important he is to our team. We have got some options to bring into the team in that space. But at this stage he’s fully fit and ready to go and playing some amazing footy. it’s more something we’ll look at the back end of the ear.

“Max is someone that does a lot of work on his opposition, he knows the quality he’s coming up against. He obviously knows Luke really well.

“He’ll be up for the challenge. The more responsibility you give to Max, he generally rises to the occassion.”

Goodwin said Gawn;s corked calf was “getting better day by day” but wasn’t inhibiting his ability to impact games, as last week’s effort showed.

“The way he played last week was unbelievable,” he said.

“He’s has an enormous presence about him the way he plays and he drives a big part of our game.”

The Demons have been playing in Alice Springs since 2014, but have won only four of the nine games there, including a loss to GWS last season.

Originally published as Melbourne captain Max Gawn ready to take on Fremantle duo after calf scare