Max Gawn has admitted adjusting to the new ruck rule will take some time after an “absolute stinker” in the Demons‘ match simulation.
Under the new rules, rucks will now be unable to cross the centre line before engaging with their opponents. The centre bounce has been removed too and will be a ball-up. This is designed to encourage more jumping in the rucks.
However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the Demons star in pre-season.
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Max Gawn of the Demons and Sam Draper of the Bombers. Getty
“I had an absolute stinker in match sim on Friday. I gave away three free kicks for stepping over the line by less than a centimetre,” he said on Triple M’s Rush Hour with JB & Billy.
Gawn’s first match hitout will be in the State of Origin on February 14 where teething issues could show with the rule.
“I’m lucky/unlucky that I’m playing the first game in State of Origin, so I think we’re playing the new rules,” he said.
“(WA ruckman) Darcy Cameron was quite unique at centre bounces last year so I’m interested to see how that will play out. From my training, this rule could really catch some people out.”
Jack Viney of the Demons. Getty
From there, the Demons will start pre-season in late February before a round one clash against St Kilda on March 15.
The fixture will put Jack Steele up against his former side who is set to be an integral player for the Demons after Jack Viney was ruled out for at least half the season with an Achilles injury.
“It’s three months, so about half the season, so Jack Steele looks really handy then,” he said.
“If you look at our midfield for the past ten years, you could almost [certainly] say it’d be Gawn, Viney, (Clayton) Oliver, and (Christian) Petracca. This year, it’s a raffle on every single one of the spots and I think that’s an advantage to be honest. We could have six or seven guys that can play in there.”
Steven May. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Another player the Demons are unlikely to have for round one is Steven May who has been absent from training over the past two weeks due to a police investigation.
Gawn was unable to shed too much light on the situation.
“Maysey hasn’t been in for a while,” he said.
“Not much I can comment on at all. It’s on the clubs’ hands and the AFL’s hands. I think there’s a police investigation of some sort, we haven’t seen him for a little bit.
“Hopefully we might see him soon.”