Melbourne captain Max Gawn delivers ferocious spray at Collingwood bench in shock defeat

Melbourne captain Max Gawn delivered an “out of character” spray to the Collingwood bench during Monday’s shock loss.

Melbourne Demons captain Max Gawn.

Melbourne Demons captain Max Gawn has delivered an “out of character” spray to the Collingwood bench during Monday’s 26-point loss to the Magpies at the MCG.

Later in the second quarter of the Queen’s Birthday contest, Gawn copped a knee in the back from Collingwood tall forward Mason Cox while contesting a mark.

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The 30-year-old gingerly made his way off the field soon after, but directed some heated words towards a group of nearby Magpies players.

“I don’t know if maybe someone gobbed off and lipped him as he was coming off,” Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall said on Fox Footy.

Gawn was reportedly speaking to young Collingwood forward Jack Ginnivan, who he’d clashed with earlier.

“I think it was out of character for Max to come off like that,” four-time premiership player Jordan Lewis continued.

“Someone must’ve said something as he was coming off and he thought he needed to say something to finish off the conversation.”

Gawn received treatment at halftime before returning for the first bounce of the third quarter, but the five-time All-Australian retired to the rooms with medical staff for further assessment about 13 minutes later.

Max Gawn of the Demons comes to the bench. Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

The reigning premiers arrived for its annual clash with Collingwood having suffered back-to-back defeats, with one controversy after another engulfing the club.

But of greatest concern for Demons coach Simon Goodwin is his out-of-sorts side, which lost a third-straight match after winning the previous 17 – a streak that seems a mile in the rear-view mirror.

The Magpies deservedly snatched the lead for good when Brody Mihocek fired through his third goal for the afternoon from near-enough-to 50m out and they pulled away to win by26 points.

They frittered away a series of chances early in the match and probably should have led earlier, with only some inspired Melbourne play out of the centre in the second term delaying that.

Collingwood has now taken down Fremantle, Carlton, Hawthorn and the Demons in a season-defining four-match span to muscle its way back inside the top eight.

Demon Clayton Oliver amassed 43 disposals in his latest midfield masterclass, and Angus Brayshaw stood tall in defence to gobble up 13 intercept possessions to thwart the Pies repeatedly.

Both sides will enjoy a bye next weekend.

– with Marc McGowan, NCA NewsWire

Originally published as Melbourne captain Max Gawn delivers ferocious spray at Collingwood bench in shock defeat