Max Gawn and wife share wonderful family news amid kind gesture for Clayton Oliver
The Melbourne Demons captain recently welcomed his troubled teammate into his home.
Max Gawn and wife Jessica have welcomed their second child, announcing the birth of new son Louis Lyle Gawn. The Melbourne Demons captain took to social media on Tuesday to announce the wonderful news, posting a number of photos of Louis and Jessica, as well as Louis' older brother George.
George was born just one month after the Demons won the AFL premiership in 2021. Earlier this year, Jessica announced there was “another little Gawn to love” on her Instagram page, posting a photo of her bump and a video of George receiving a photo of an ultrasound scan.
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Responding to the news of Louis' arrival on Tuesday, Channel 7's Abbey Holmes wrote: “Nawww congrats guys!! Amazing.” Jerri Jones, the wife of former Demons captain Nathan, commented "Congrats Gawns!! So beautiful", while Gawn's teammate Angus Brayshaw also sent congratulations.
Discussing life as a father earlier this year, Gawn said: “The most rewarding thing is waking up and [George] doesn’t know if you’ve lost. He doesn’t know that there’s a financial crisis going on at the moment in Australia, he doesn’t know what’s happening in the news.
“He wakes up with a smile on his face - most mornings. Sometimes he wakes up and he’s had a bad sleep, but most days he starts with a smile on his face.”
Max Gawn and wife's brilliant gesture for Clayton Oliver
Louis' arrival comes after a stunning gesture from the Gawns to take troubled Demons player Clayton Oliver into their house despite Jessica being heavily pregnant. In October, the Demons were thought to be considering trading the 26-year-old after a tumultuous season marred by injuries and attitude issues, but the club eventually announced that he'll be staying put.
Amid the dramas on and off the field, Max and Jessica Gawn invited Oliver to stay at their house. "I'm in pretty good dialogue with him and we talk every day and he's been (staying) at my house for a while, so I think Clayton is going really well," Gawn told the Seven Network. "I understand the noise that is coming about Clayton could really bring someone down, but I feel like the support that he's got around him will help him get through it.
"There has been some stuff over the last few weeks but I feel like this happens at most clubs. There's adversity here, adversity there. Obviously, our adversity has all come at once."
Tom Morris of SEN previously reported: "In recent times senior teammates have become increasingly more frustrated and concerned in equal measure with his welfare, to the point where Oliver moving away from his Camberwell house and in with captain Max Gawn has been seriously canvassed as a temporary option. In recent days, Oliver has shown a willingness to return to the fold. He has put his hand up to say that his living arrangements and social lifestyle hasn’t been befitting of an AFL player. Max Gawn has also opened the door of his home to Oliver, who has recently moved in with the captain and his family."
The midfielder, who is contracted until 2030, ended up in hospital in October, following what the club deemed to be a "medical episode". Oliver later said he had a reaction to ADHD medication.
"The club is aware of the personal challenges that Clayton has outside of football and key club experts will remain part of his daily support team," CEO Gary Pert said. "Club leaders have very clearly outlined to Clayton the behavioural expectations that we have of him, and these behaviours will be reviewed on a regular basis."
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