Max, congratulations, this week you were told you would be playing your first AFL match against Essendon under lights at the MCG. How’s your week been since finding out that news?
MG: I found out early in the week, so it’s been a long week. So there have been a couple of late nights just thinking about it and a few early mornings thinking about it. But I just can’t wait to get out there.
Has the build-up to your first match been what you would’ve thought?
MG: Obviously we didn’t have a good week after our loss to Carlton last Friday, but since then it’s been looking up and we’re ready to go.
And now what’s the feeling like on the cusp of your debut?
MG: I’m excited. I’ve been here for a year-and-a-half now and I’ve seen nearly everyone else debut, so I just can’t wait to get out there now.
You came to the club in 2009, having undergone a knee reconstruction. You had to overcome that, before playing some matches in the VFL at the backend of 2010. And now you’re realising a dream. How much does it mean to you?
MG: It means a lot. It’s been 10 weeks [into my first full season] and now I’m playing my first game, so it’s a minor accomplishment. The knee is bloody strong and I’m feeling pretty confident.
How have you found your journey at Melbourne, now you’ve just completed 18 months here?
MG: It’s been a long journey, with the first 12 months in rehab. That was pretty tough. The one thing you want to do is get out there and train. You want to play with the boys, but swimming laps and doing the cross-training is pretty frustrating. The journey has been a bit harder for me, but now I feel like a first year player.
You’re a rare player. You stand 208cm. Only Fremantle’s Aaron Sandilands is taller in the AFL out of 796 listed-players. What’s that like being known as the second tallest player in the AFL?
MG: All of the boys give me a little bit of crap about that. They reckon I say it to them a few times as well!
Although you were born in Australia, you have New Zealand heritage. Much of your family lives across the Tasman. How many family members will be attending the ‘G to watch your first game?
MG: I’ll have plenty of friends coming, but only three family members in Australia, because the rest are in New Zealand. So just the three - unless they board the next plane out! But the rest of the family in New Zealand will be watching it via the website.
You’re still very much in your development phase as a ruckman. How do you think you’ll fare at the highest level?
MG: With a couple of the ruckman getting injured, I wasn’t getting too much game-time early on. Jake Spencer was doing the majority of the ruck work. But since then, I’ve really enjoyed the game-time and just getting out there and showing what I can do. I’ve had a nice couple of weeks.
You’re a confident guy. How much has that helped you to get to where you are?
MG: I’m pretty confident. I know what to expect from an AFL ruckman. With the new sub rule in place, there have been a few AFL ruckmen hanging about in the VFL like Mark Blake and Ben Hudson last week, so I now know what to expect of AFL ruckmen. And I’m feeling confident going into the match.
A few minutes before you run out onto the ‘G on Friday night, what will be going through your mind?
MG: That’ll be the worst bit, because I’ll be nervous and excited. But once the siren goes, it’ll be a totally new ball game. It was the same thing as when I started at Casey - I was nervous, but as soon as the game started, you chucked everything out of the window and go ahead with it.
MG: I found out early in the week, so it’s been a long week. So there have been a couple of late nights just thinking about it and a few early mornings thinking about it. But I just can’t wait to get out there.
Has the build-up to your first match been what you would’ve thought?
MG: Obviously we didn’t have a good week after our loss to Carlton last Friday, but since then it’s been looking up and we’re ready to go.
And now what’s the feeling like on the cusp of your debut?
MG: I’m excited. I’ve been here for a year-and-a-half now and I’ve seen nearly everyone else debut, so I just can’t wait to get out there now.
You came to the club in 2009, having undergone a knee reconstruction. You had to overcome that, before playing some matches in the VFL at the backend of 2010. And now you’re realising a dream. How much does it mean to you?
MG: It means a lot. It’s been 10 weeks [into my first full season] and now I’m playing my first game, so it’s a minor accomplishment. The knee is bloody strong and I’m feeling pretty confident.
How have you found your journey at Melbourne, now you’ve just completed 18 months here?
MG: It’s been a long journey, with the first 12 months in rehab. That was pretty tough. The one thing you want to do is get out there and train. You want to play with the boys, but swimming laps and doing the cross-training is pretty frustrating. The journey has been a bit harder for me, but now I feel like a first year player.
You’re a rare player. You stand 208cm. Only Fremantle’s Aaron Sandilands is taller in the AFL out of 796 listed-players. What’s that like being known as the second tallest player in the AFL?
MG: All of the boys give me a little bit of crap about that. They reckon I say it to them a few times as well!
Although you were born in Australia, you have New Zealand heritage. Much of your family lives across the Tasman. How many family members will be attending the ‘G to watch your first game?
MG: I’ll have plenty of friends coming, but only three family members in Australia, because the rest are in New Zealand. So just the three - unless they board the next plane out! But the rest of the family in New Zealand will be watching it via the website.
You’re still very much in your development phase as a ruckman. How do you think you’ll fare at the highest level?
MG: With a couple of the ruckman getting injured, I wasn’t getting too much game-time early on. Jake Spencer was doing the majority of the ruck work. But since then, I’ve really enjoyed the game-time and just getting out there and showing what I can do. I’ve had a nice couple of weeks.
You’re a confident guy. How much has that helped you to get to where you are?
MG: I’m pretty confident. I know what to expect from an AFL ruckman. With the new sub rule in place, there have been a few AFL ruckmen hanging about in the VFL like Mark Blake and Ben Hudson last week, so I now know what to expect of AFL ruckmen. And I’m feeling confident going into the match.
A few minutes before you run out onto the ‘G on Friday night, what will be going through your mind?
MG: That’ll be the worst bit, because I’ll be nervous and excited. But once the siren goes, it’ll be a totally new ball game. It was the same thing as when I started at Casey - I was nervous, but as soon as the game started, you chucked everything out of the window and go ahead with it.
