Melbourne’s season has been dealt an early blow with captain Max Gawn suffering a knee injury against the Brisbane Lions.
Gawn was forced off the field in the early stages of the blockbuster clash at the Gabba after teammate Jack Viney fell into his left leg.
The 31-year-old was soon substituted out of the match permanently, with Jake Melksham replacing him.
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Gawn was pictured looking shattered with his left knee iced up in the Demons changerooms shortly after he was subbed out of the game.
“That image is worth 1000 words if you are seeing it. And if you’re not, it’s despondency if ever you’ve seen it,” veteran caller Gerard Whateley said on commentary for AFL Nation.
Melbourne football boss Alan Richardson said the club would await scans to determine which ligament had been damaged in Gawn’s left knee.
“It’s clearly a sore knee, we don’t know much more,” he said on Seven’s coverage.
“I know there’s an image going around that suggests that he’s feeling really down and that leads to potential ACL stuff, that’s not the case.
“We’re going to have to scan it. Our doctors are saying that he feels reasonable, (but) we’ll just have to wait until he gets scans.”
The six-time All-Australian ruckman is no stranger to knee injuries after having his TAC Cup campaign ruined by an ACL tear in his draft year.
Gawn’s 2012 season was also ruined by a meniscus and ACL tear before he required a third knee surgery in 2014.
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