Melbourne's Max Gawn in training mode. Picture: Michael Willson, AFL Photos

MELBOURNE captain Max Gawn fears there could be a major injury spike if AFL players failed to maintain football-related movements in the shutdown period.

DAN'S PLAN Vic government approves training in groups of 10 ... but there's a catch

They are set to return to team training to complete a mini-pre-season, which could last for about three or four weeks, after working out in no more than pairs since late March.

02:48

Crows sanctioned, Vic's green light, happy Dog days

Nat Edwards with a news update

Gawn pointed to the NFL's 2011 player lockout, where team owners temporarily banned players from using their training facilities, as the best comparison to the AFL's current situation.

STERN WARNINGS AFL sends memo to clubs, players must get COVID test

The major difference in the AFL's case is each club's high performance manager provided an individualised program for players, whereas NFL counterparts had to seek help from external trainers.

History shows there was an increase in NFL injuries, particularly anterior cruciate ligament ruptures and Achilles setbacks, once the lockout ended.

06:42

Tough love: When Roosy told Gawn to 'pull his head out of his a***'

Max Gawn chats to Damian Barrett about the 'direct feedback' he received from Paul Roos that helped him move up from the VFL for good

There was also a jump in ACL injuries for basketballers after the 2011 NBA lockout.

OLD FIXTURE BINNED Traditional timeslots a priority

Gawn, who has suffered two ACL tears, said the Demons' new fitness boss, world-renowned Darren Burgess, based much of his program on these findings.

"Compared to off-season programs in the past, we have added a lot of dynamic movement and single-leg hops and bounding and lots and lots of skills," Gawn told RSN radio.

08:48

Last Time I Cried: He said, 'My mum died on Christmas Day'

Footy hard man Campbell Brown has paid a raw and powerful tribute to his late mother Kay in an emotional interview with Hamish McLachlan

 "So Burgo is aware of that and was onto it pretty early. 

"The only case study we have in the whole world of something like this happening is probably the NFL strike, where they went away from their club staff and they all got their own PTs and they all did their own thing.

"ACL and Achilles injuries went up by (about) 25 per cent when they came back, so that's the only case study we have and Burgo's based a lot of his program off that."

01:00

Mum's the word: She fired me when I was 14

Max Gawn explains why his mum fired him from his first job

 With that in mind, Gawn said a month-long pre-season "might not be enough" if other clubs didn't have the same foresight as Melbourne to train in a certain way.

"If you haven't been doing those movements, I do agree that a four-week pre-season is very small and injuries will go up," the triple All-Australian said.

"Hopefully, everyone has been aware they need to keep those movements up … I'm pretty glad we've got one of the best in the business controlling our program." 

Gawn said the Demons were keeping players informed on the latest restrictions in a dedicated WhatsApp group to ensure there wouldn't be any mistakes, such as Adelaide's training breach.

"This is uncharted territory for every team – a four-week pre-season – but I'd be shocked if any player is not fit currently," he said. 

"Everyone's saying a four-week pre-season but it will almost be like a 20-week pre-season, so I'll be very shocked if players are not already extremely fit through this eight-week period."