RUCKMAN Max Gawn says there was no choice but to fight back from quarter-time, otherwise Melbourne could’ve been blown away by three figures against North Melbourne at Blundstone Arena on Sunday.
Melbourne came back from a 42-point deficit during the first term – and six goals at half-time – to end up hitting the front and almost winning a remarkable round three contest.
Gawn said Melbourne had to reset and work its way back into the contest at the first break – which it did – before booting nine goals to two in the second term and hitting the front.
“The easiest way to come back when you’re 36 points down is just to stick your head over the footy. It’s much easier to come back than lose by 150 points,” he told Melbourne TV.
“You’ve got to look at that and then credit the second quarter, which was some of the best footy we’ve played for a while … but in the last quarter, we probably should’ve won the game.”
Still, Gawn said a slow start and kicking against the wind was difficult to overcome for his side early in the match.
“We probably gave them (North Melbourne) a bit too much at the start. There was a big wind and we thought we were still cracking in, in the first quarter, but we gave them some easy goals and some sloppy free kicks,” he said.
“They were able to get off to a good start and then we were able to pinch them back from there. In the last quarter, it was touch and go, and we came back three goals at one stage and then came back gain, so it was a credit to the boys.
“Unfortunately we didn’t get the chocolates, but we can take that into the next few weeks.”
Gawn, who had a brilliant duel with North Melbourne big man Todd Goldstein, said coming back was an unusual position for the red and blue.
“It always seems to be the other way around – we seem to be the team in front going to the last centre bounce, so it was interesting,” he said.
“It was a new tactic trying to win the game and we got the centre clearance and we got forward, but unfortunately we just ran out of time.
“Ideally, we didn’t want to leave it to the last 15 seconds, but there were a few contests early in the last quarter that we could’ve got right.”
Overall, Gawn said it was a frustrating loss, but plenty could be drawn from the performance.
“We didn’t win, so we’re not happy, because we didn’t win,” he said.
“But there is some stuff we can take out of it going into the next few games.
“I would much rather to win the game – and honestly, I hate losing, so my immediate thought is that I’ll be worried about the loss. Then, hopefully, we can see the vision and take some stuff into the Collingwood and Richmond games in the next two weeks.”
