AFL news 2022: Melbourne vs Collingwood, Max Gawn sprays Magpies bench, ankle injury, Mason Cox, Jack Ginnivan, what happened

Melbourne skipper Max Gawn appeared to be involved in a fiery verbal encounter with Collingwood players on Monday as the superstar ruckman suffered an injury scare during the Queen’s Birthday clash.

Late in the second term of Monday’s match against the Magpies, Gawn copped a knee in the back from opponent Mason Cox during a marking contest.

Legendary Hawthorn goalkicker Jason Dunstall told Fox Footy Cox did “nothing untoward” or illegal in the contest.

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“He’s entitled to fly like that. He got his hands to it and just didn’t hold it,” Dunstall said of Cox’s marking attempt.

Gawn jogged away from the contest before coming to the bench. And as he walked over the white line, he looked in the direction of the Magpies bench where he delivered some stern words.

“I don’t know if maybe someone gobbed off and lipped him as he was coming off,” Dunstall said.

Max Gawn had a go at the Collingwood bench.Source: FOX SPORTS

Former Dee and four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis told Fox Footy: “I think it was out of character for Max to come off like that … Someone must’ve said something as he was coming off and he thought he needed to say something to finish off the conversation.”

Gawn started the third quarter at the centre bounce, but dual premiership Kangaroo David King said the multiple All-Australian looked “sore”.

Fox Footy’s coverage suggested Gawn had suffered a rolled ankle, and he went down into the rooms midway through the third term for further assessment.

His moment wasn’t the only notable off-ball incident in the first half.

There was also a little scuffle between the two teams after Ben Brown’s second quarter goal, sparked by Clayton Oliver pushing Pies defender Nathan Murphy to the turf.

Gawn did also produce a stunning hit-out during the second quarter, perfectly tapping the ball behind his back to advantage of Christian Petracca for a clean centre bounce clearance.

Dunstall described it as “the best centre tap I’ve seen all year”, while Lewis added: “You can’t defend that … that’s just class. You love that as a midfielder.”