Sam Mitchell reckons he isn't alone in wishing Melbourne captain Max Gawn would ride off into the sunset and stop causing headaches for AFL opponents.
Red-hot Gawn is in vintage form, steering the Demons (3-5) back into finals contention after a horror five-match losing run to start the season.
And Hawthorn coach Mitchell admits the task of stopping the seven-time All-Australian ruckman has been playing on his mind ahead of their clash at the MCG on Saturday.
"He's universally loved, Max Gawn," Mitchell said, quickly adding a caveat.
"Except for all the opposition coaches who just wish his age would catch up with him and he could go off into the sunset as maybe the greatest ruckman ever, and just retire and give us all a few less headaches.
"Unfortunately he's in great form, and Meeky (Lloyd Meek) has been in really good form for us too, so that's going to be a really great contest.
"I'm looking forward to seeing how they go about it.
"I just wish (Gawn) would have a week off or something like that, but we'll back Meeky in to get that job done."
Gawn, 33, has starred in Melbourne's season-saving wins over Fremantle, Richmond and West Coast over the past three weeks.
The Hawks (6-2) have also beaten the lowly Tigers and Eagles in the last fortnight, but haven't faced off against the Demons since March last year.
Mitchell noted his Melbourne counterpart Simon Goodwin had made significant changes this season, and reiterated his belief that the 15th-placed Demons' best football is ahead of them as they adapt to a new method.
"I feel like they're improving their game and they're really starting to master the couple of tweaks that they've made to their game style this year," Mitchell said.
"Watching the way they go about it, their ladder position is probably a bit misleading."
Hawthorn cult figure Nick Watson became the third player fined by the AFL for an obscene gesture this season after flipping the bird to Richmond fans last round.
Mitchell laughed when asked if he had spoken to Watson about the incident but said he has "no issue" with such fines being handed out.
"I'm not going to tell you who I talk to what about, but the AFL has an incentive to not do it and I think that's probably where it could stop," Mitchell said.
