Ruckman Max Gawn made his long-awaited comeback with Casey seconds against Port Melbourne last weekend, after injuring his knee with TAC Cup side Sandringham Dragons in 2009. Gawn suffered the injury in May 2008 and had the reconstruction in June. In November last year, Gawn was selected at No.34 in the NAB AFL Draft. Since arriving at Melbourne, he has been undergoing rehabilitation. He talks exclusively to melbournefc.com.au about his return to the game.
What was it like to finally be back out on the park last weekend?
MG: It was a bit weird. I haven’t done it for 15 months. The first hit out I won, but after that I didn’t know where I was going and I was chasing the ball, so I didn’t know what I was doing out there. I had a rough idea the week before that it was going to be this game. I got told in the lead-up that I would be playing if I got through the week. It was a long week - the longest week.
How did you feel on the morning of the match?
MG: The fact that I had to be there at 9.30 am helped. I got up, had breakfast and left. I didn’t have time to think about it.
You played the first half against Port Melbourne. How did you pull up after that match?
MG: You do six months of rehab running and then you play your first match and you think that six months was nothing. It just went out the window, because of the match fitness. Your first two or three minutes, you’re just gone and then you fight back for the rest of the quarter.
And what were you like the next day?
MG: I was surprisingly good. I was expecting to be sore everywhere.
Now mid-week, how are you feeling?
MG: I’m playing three quarters this week - a little bit more this time. I’ll be training on Thursday, and hopefully I’ll get through that again.
So there have been no issues with your knee?
MG: The doctor said it’s probably the best knee he’s seen after a first match. So that’s all good.
Are you feeling confident about your knee now?
MG: This week I’m feeling a little bit better. The stuff that goes through your head, like how are you going to play and what are you going to do - that all went through my head in the first week as well. I feel a little bit more confident to get the ball. I’m coming up against Sandringham [Zebras] this week, with a fair few of my old Sandringham [Dragons] teammates playing.
What will that be like to come up against several former teammates this round?
MG: Dylan Jones is their ruckman - he was Vic Metro ruckman last year and I did a lot of stuff with him through the Dragons, so that’ll be interesting.
Now that you’ve played, how do you reflect on getting your first match under your belt?
MG: It’s a relief. The first eight months were [tough], because I wasn’t able to get on the track until a month to a month-and-a-half ago - especially being a new guy and not knowing most of the boys and being hidden away in rehab. It’s been an interesting start to my football career.
So what’s the plan now for the rest of the season?
MG: To still play another couple in the reserves for Casey, with limited game time. Then the goal is to play in the VFL ones. Hopefully, I’ll be able to play 90 per cent after this week. From there, I want to play some good footy in the VFL ones and then play finals this year - that’d be pretty exciting. [It’s an aim] to play VFL ones this year.
Have you or the Club looked ahead to pre-season, because of your interrupted year?
MG: The idea at the start of the year when they drafted me was to play a few games and get myself ready, and then continue on into next pre-season. So this is really my pre-season for next year, starting now.
Despite the setback with your knee, how are you finding the experience of being an AFL listed player?
MG: It’s a very good experience. I was warned when I got drafted that all of the draftees train and then go to sleep. I didn’t experience that because while I was training, it was in rehab and wasn’t up to the hours the rest of the draftees were doing. Now that I’m training, it’s come to me now that you do train and sleep - and that’s all you do.
What was it like to finally be back out on the park last weekend?
MG: It was a bit weird. I haven’t done it for 15 months. The first hit out I won, but after that I didn’t know where I was going and I was chasing the ball, so I didn’t know what I was doing out there. I had a rough idea the week before that it was going to be this game. I got told in the lead-up that I would be playing if I got through the week. It was a long week - the longest week.
How did you feel on the morning of the match?
MG: The fact that I had to be there at 9.30 am helped. I got up, had breakfast and left. I didn’t have time to think about it.
You played the first half against Port Melbourne. How did you pull up after that match?
MG: You do six months of rehab running and then you play your first match and you think that six months was nothing. It just went out the window, because of the match fitness. Your first two or three minutes, you’re just gone and then you fight back for the rest of the quarter.
And what were you like the next day?
MG: I was surprisingly good. I was expecting to be sore everywhere.
Now mid-week, how are you feeling?
MG: I’m playing three quarters this week - a little bit more this time. I’ll be training on Thursday, and hopefully I’ll get through that again.
So there have been no issues with your knee?
MG: The doctor said it’s probably the best knee he’s seen after a first match. So that’s all good.
Are you feeling confident about your knee now?
MG: This week I’m feeling a little bit better. The stuff that goes through your head, like how are you going to play and what are you going to do - that all went through my head in the first week as well. I feel a little bit more confident to get the ball. I’m coming up against Sandringham [Zebras] this week, with a fair few of my old Sandringham [Dragons] teammates playing.
What will that be like to come up against several former teammates this round?
MG: Dylan Jones is their ruckman - he was Vic Metro ruckman last year and I did a lot of stuff with him through the Dragons, so that’ll be interesting.
Now that you’ve played, how do you reflect on getting your first match under your belt?
MG: It’s a relief. The first eight months were [tough], because I wasn’t able to get on the track until a month to a month-and-a-half ago - especially being a new guy and not knowing most of the boys and being hidden away in rehab. It’s been an interesting start to my football career.
So what’s the plan now for the rest of the season?
MG: To still play another couple in the reserves for Casey, with limited game time. Then the goal is to play in the VFL ones. Hopefully, I’ll be able to play 90 per cent after this week. From there, I want to play some good footy in the VFL ones and then play finals this year - that’d be pretty exciting. [It’s an aim] to play VFL ones this year.
Have you or the Club looked ahead to pre-season, because of your interrupted year?
MG: The idea at the start of the year when they drafted me was to play a few games and get myself ready, and then continue on into next pre-season. So this is really my pre-season for next year, starting now.
Despite the setback with your knee, how are you finding the experience of being an AFL listed player?
MG: It’s a very good experience. I was warned when I got drafted that all of the draftees train and then go to sleep. I didn’t experience that because while I was training, it was in rehab and wasn’t up to the hours the rest of the draftees were doing. Now that I’m training, it’s come to me now that you do train and sleep - and that’s all you do.
