Melbourne Demons skipper Max Gawn signs four-year extension

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Melbourne Demons skipper Max Gawn signs four-year extension image

All-Australian ruckman Max Gawn looks set to be a Demon for life, signing a four-year extension that will keep him at the club until the end of 2025.

Gawn has established himself as one of the premier ruckmen in the competition, named AFL Coaches' Association player of the year in 2018.

He was appointed captain ahead of the 2020 season, with the club narrowly missing the finals as they finished 9th.

Ahead of the 2021 season, Gawn was quick to turn down the opportunity to enter free agency as he looks to repay the club that drafted him in 2009.

“Melbourne showed a fair bit of faith in me from the get-go and I’ve been on a little journey," Gawn told Melbourne Media.

“I’ve been out of contract thinking I wasn’t going to get one, to being well and truly comfortable in contract, and I think that makes me a well-rounded leader now – that I’ve been involved in almost every little thing you could be involved in on a football list.

“There wasn’t really an option for me to leave in my own mental state.

"I love the line of ‘one-club player’, but it’s more the team we have right now.

“You’d be a very, very stupid person to leave at 29 after doing all that hard work, to miss the exciting part that we have in front of us.”


Gawn's re-signing follows Jack Viney and Jake Lever's recent extensions as the Demons look to secure the core of their roster ahead of round one.

"In a great sign of his leadership, Max has turned his back on free agency and did not even consider exploring other options,” list manager Tim Lamb said.

“As one of the premier players in the game he would have been able to attract significant offers from other clubs.  

“Instead he showed he is fully committed to Melbourne and understands what we are trying to achieve in retaining our talent – this deal reflects that. 

“Max and his manager, Anthony McConville of Macs Sports, have been fantastic and totally professional throughout the whole process and we’re rapt to come to an agreement before the start of the season.

“Along with Jack Viney re-signing at the end of last year, and Jake Lever earlier in the week, we are seeing our leaders re-commit which is a fantastic sign for our club.”

Gawn has played 134 games for the Demons, winning the Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy for club best and fairest in 2018 and 2019.

 

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