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 Demonswanted 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.