Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin says now is not the time to “take a risk with any of our players”, with a decision looming on whether captain Max Gawn could return for Sunday’s rematch with Fremantle.
Gawn had a crucial training session on Thursday having told Goodwin that “he’ll be right” to combat Dockers duo Luke Jackson and Sean Darcy after missing last week’s win over Essendon due to a crack in his ankle.
Goodwin said there were few more professional players in their approach to injury management and recovery than Gawn and likened the injury to a “sprained ankle”.
Goodwin said his captain was “moving well” in training sessions he had completed.
Melbourne sits in eighth spot but could drop to as low as 12th with a loss to the fifth-placed Dockers, with a ladder logjam making every match crucial for all finals aspirants.
Despite what’s on the line, however, Goodwin said he wouldn’t be forced into recalling Gawn before he was ready
“He’s working through his process incredibly well,” the coach said on Thursday, with a selection decision looming on Thursday afternoon.
“Everyone who knows Max knows how diligent he is. Today is an important day for that process, we’ll assess him post today.
“This isn’t the time of year to take a risk with any of our players, we need to make sure he is 100 per cent ready to go.”
Gawn has maintained from the time he was injured that he would be back as soon as possible and Goodwin said that “mentality” was what made the captain such an inspirational leader and so important to his side.
“He walks into the office every day and says ‘coach I’ll be right’, but that’s the mentality he has,” he said.
“We love that mindset about him, that he’s prepared to push the boundaries and also get himself as healthy as he can as quick as he can.
“Our responsibility is to make sure he steps through the process in the right way. It’s a load management thing, similar to a sprained ankle. He’s moving well. We certainly won’t push him at all.”
The Demons were smashed by 92 points by Fremantle in Alice Springs in round 13 and while not driven by redemption, Goodwin said his side was a much better team than then, as shown in last weekend’s MCG take-down of Essendon.
“I’d like to think so. Certainly, in the last month we have been playing in a way that is highly competitive,” he said.
“That previous game against Fremantle in Alice Springs we were uncompetitive in all elements of our game. I’d like to think we have changed a lot. There is a real determination and competitiveness in our group at the moment.
“You come into a time of year when all these games mean a lot from a positioning perspective and your ability to play finals and progress up the ladder as much as you can.
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