LONGEVITY.
It’s something that many athletes don’t get to experience in sport.
AFL, in particular, can be a fickle game, where injuries, age and form often bring an abrupt stop to a player’s career.
Max Gawn and Tom McDonald have managed to breakthrough this, the duo set to run out for the 250th time on Sunday.
They’ll become just the 10th and 11th Demons to play 250 games for the red and blue, showing just how important their longevity has been for Melbourne.
“What I’m proud of is my longevity in sport,” Gawn told Melbourne Media.
“I’ve always aspired to be someone who is one of the old guys on the list. I’d always looked up to Brad Green, James McDonald, Nathan Jones, these guys who continually played good football well into their 30’s.
“That’s what I’m doing now and I’m really enjoying it.”
McDonald agreed with his milestone counterpart, reminiscing on the highs and lows they’ve experienced across their careers.
“We’ve spoken a lot about longevity in the game, and I find that relatively important,” McDonald said.
“It’s been a journey where we’ve experienced everything we could’ve at a footy club - a unique career arch for both of us.
“It’s that resilience to keep fighting, keep your career going for as long as possible and to still make an impact.”
The two started their careers separately, Gawn’s AFL journey beginning in 2009 while McDonald's began the following year in 2010.
Due to a multitude of reasons, from injury to selection, 16 years later the two will now get to celebrate their milestone together, a coincidence that both Demons are grateful for.
“The fact that we’re doing it together is actually a really cool story,” Gawn said.
“The Demons fans who were in and around the 2009 and 2010 era, they get to see a full circle of myself and Tom now that we’re at the backend of our careers.
"I see it more as a 500 celebration..to have Tom here, it's made me realise how cool [this milestone] is.
"I feel really comfortable to be able share it with [Max], it makes it feel really special and it's been a nice way to celebrate," McDonald added.
As the two reminisced over their time at the Dees, both of them spoke to the adversity they’d faced throughout their journey.
120-point losses to season-ending injuries, they’ve had their fair share of struggle.
Interestingly though, Gawn highlighted a time when it was deeper than the physical.
“Breaking in from a personality point of view was incredibly tough,” Gawn said of his early difficulties.
“I went from a relatively extroverted person in my high school group to the most introverted person known to mankind at the football club.
“I had to learn how to be myself in a professional situation.”
McDonald was similar but saw his challenges through both injury and form, often fighting for his spot in the team.
“I’ve been proud of the fact I’ve been able to come back from different periods where I probably thought that it was over,” McDonald said.
"[Proud] to have gone from having aspects of my career where it could and probably should've been over, and then I finding a way to continue."
Through the adversity though, the two will be celebrated this Sunday as premiership Demons who have been able to help hold the club up through the past 16 years.
Dees fans who are wanting to be a part of the milestone are encouraged to get to the 'G and help cheer the duo on. Tickets can be found here.
