Back to back Gawn eyeing Demons premiership at MCG

By Jon PierikUpdated September 30, 2021 â€" 9.25pmfirst published at 6.49pm

Melbourne captain Max Gawn has declared the Demons will have the added motivation of chasing back-to-back premierships next season so they can celebrate in front of their faithful at the MCG.

The Demons finally arrived home from Perth on Thursday, having spent four days celebrating their win over the Western Bulldogs which ended the club’s 57-year flag drought.

The partying has left many players blurry-eyed, and Gawn’s voice was croaky before the assembled media at Melbourne Airport, but the All-Australian ruckman, soon to become a first-time father, said he could not be happier to be home.

Max Gawn holds the premiership cup.Credit:Getty Images

Despite now starting a two-month break, Gawn, sporting a new tattoo on his lower leg, also revealed that on the flight home his thoughts had turned to 2022, and the hope of a premiership repeat in Melbourne.

“I did think about it on the flight back, that it would have been pretty special to do all this in Melbourne. You can sit there and go:‘What a shame we didn’t get to do it in Melbourne, let’s just do it in 2022’,” Gawn said.

“I must admit I haven’t had great, in-depth, serious conversations about it. I want to win the flag every year. We will go away, have our break, I think we have a shorter break now because we have gone the deepest, but I am sure Goody (coach Simon Goodwin) will have a message on that whiteboard saying 2022.”

Gawn later added that it was a “given” that the need to reward Melbourne-based fans on the final Saturday of September next year would be mentioned to players when pre-season training begins.

He had already declared in the Optus Stadium dressingroom on Saturday night that the Demons wanted to create “dynasty”, adding: “This is just the start”.

Melbourne’s sixth lockdown meant the grand final was shifted outside the state, landing in Perth, and Demons fans there, and even those without an affiliation, embraced the club’s romantic journey.

“I have been excited to get back. As much as Perth has been great and the support that we have been given in Perth has been great, I have been dying to get back to Melbourne, although I probably can’t see anybody,” Gawn said.

“I can make my home, see family, and, hopefully, in due course I will be able to show the cup around to some people that really want to see it.”

It’s come home: Max Gawn with the cup.Credit:Getty Images

Gawn said the premiership was special but the pandemic had meant his childhood dream wasn’t quite reached.

“There are a couple of things when I was growing up as a kid ... was a bit different. Obviously, it was at the MCG. Obviously, it is usually a day grand final, so those things were different, and I would have loved to have seen some family, friends along with supporters when you are doing the lap with the cup,” he said.

“I would have loved to run into someone who has supported the clubs for 50 years on the sidelines, like (former captain) David Neitz sitting there, or my wife (Jessica) during some point of that lap of honour. Everything else was pure bliss.”

The Demons hope the expected easing of pandemic restrictions will allow them to celebrate with fans at the MCG before Christmas.

“It was a really good day on Sunday when we went down to the mall (in Perth) and we were able to show the cup off to the supporters that were there but our team name is the name of the city, this is the city we are from, and I am excited to be back, even though I can’t see anybody, I feel like everyone knows now the cup is home,” Gawn said.

“Then, obviously, when we are allowed to, we will do something.”

This was a different homecoming. As the players made their way off the plane, the club song blared but fans were not allowed into the terminal because of pandemic protocols. Gawn even joked he had been away so long - the Demons have been on the road for six weeks - that his wife may have already given birth.

Jon Pierik is a sports journalist at The Age. He covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.Connect via Twitter or email.

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