Impact stirring moment had on AFL star's wife

Melbourne captain Max Gawn has lauded the AFL's move to hold a minute's silenece across all games in round eight to shine a light on gender-based violence.

During Showdown 55 on Thursday night, Adelaide and Port Adelaide players stood arm-in-arm in the centre circle to observe the initiative.

The AFL's move, which was lead by West Coast CEO Don Pyke, has been met with some criticism, with calls for the league to do more than just a moment's silence.

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However, Gawn has declared the move is having a positive impact that he experienced first hand on Thursday night.

"I definitely agree (that it's a powerful statement). I watched (last night's game) with my wife (Jess). What it did do is it created a conversation between me and my wife," Gawn said on Triple M's Marty Sheargold Show.

"The naysayers saying, '40 men cuddling in the middle (of the ground) is this really doing anything for domestic violence? I say yes, because the awareness it brought started a conversation between Jess and I about it."

Gawn admitted that the conversation was confronting, but something he "knew" was going on for the average woman in everyday life.

"What she delved into, I sort of knew in the back of my head," Gawn said.

"Jess was talking along the lines of being scared to walk at night and leaving trails for anything in case something happened, locking doors when driving."

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The 2021 premiership captain is confident the conversation happened around the country on Thursday night and will continue beyond this weekend.

"That got brought up in a simple awareness chat while the moment of silence was going on," he said.

"If that happened between me and Jess, I daresay it was happening in multiple lounge rooms around Australia. It's good but we don't stop at this though."