Gawn had the option of testing the free-agency market with his previous contract due to expire at the end of this year.

But the 29-year-old captain predicts the Demons are on the verge of something special, and he does not want to miss out.

"I've got a fair bit of faith in where the club's going," Gawn told Melbourne's website.

"We've got some really good, elite players now in the competition, and that, mirrored with some really good young talent ... it's a really good mix.

"It makes me really excited to be a part of this club for the next few years to hopefully achieve something great.

"There wasn't really an option for me to leave in my own mental state. I love the line of 'one-club player', but it's more the team we have right now.

"You'd be a very, very stupid person to leave at 29 after doing all that hard work, to miss the exciting part that we have in front of us."

Gawn, who underwent two knee reconstructions early in his career, has notched 134 games for the Demons since being drafted with pick No.34 in 2009.

He has won four All-Australians and two best-and-fairest awards during his career, but it is team success that he is craving the most.

Gawn has only played three finals - all in 2018 - and the pressure is on Melbourne to qualify this year after flopping over the past two seasons.

He said he never truly considered exploring free agency.

"Free agency, I don't even know what it is really, I wouldn't even know how it works," said Gawn, who has also built a reputation for being one of the most affable players in the competition.

"Melbourne showed a fair bit of faith in me from the get-go and I've been on a little journey."

Australian Associated Press