MAX Gawn has been voted in for kicking the fifth best goal at Melbourne in 2018, showing off some class with a banana from the boundary line against Essendon at Marvel Stadium in Round 6.
But it was more than the pure skill on display which made this goal something special.
As Gawn retrieved the ball off the deck, a Bombers supporter exchanged some words with the ruckman.
“I genuinely have no idea what he said,” Gawn told Melbourne Media.
“It was more his demeanour, he was just sort of in my face.
“I felt like he gave me a little bit of inspiration to go back and put my second check-side in for five minutes of play.”
As the ball sailed through the big sticks, Gawn turned back to the fan and gave him that iconic cheeky grin.
“I let him know my beard was a lot better, he was rocking something pretty ordinary to be honest,” Gawn said.
“I was more amazed in myself kicking the goal.
“I definitely wasn’t thinking, what am I going to say him after I kick this goal.
“I was actually going to brag about a point if I kicked a point because I thought that’d be a pretty good effort from the pocket, but when it went through I thought I’d give him a little look back.”
At this stage of the season, Gawn had been in some sketchy goal kicking form, but Gawn and all Demon fans were pleased to see him slot two identical snaps from the boundary line.
“I missed two earlier that day I remember,” he said.
“I missed one from 50 [metres out] that I put on the left post, then I had one from 30 that I put on the right post, so I genuinely had no idea where to put it.
“And obviously it was very close to round one, round four and I think round five where I missed goals from somewhere near the top of the goal square.
“Maybe I should banana them from wherever I get them.”