- Simon Goodwin was blindsided by his sacking
- Phone call from club president was ominous
- Won Melbourne Demons a premiership in 2021
Sacked Melbourne Demons coach Simon Goodwin was at home on August 4 when his phone rang – and it wasn’t good news.
On the other end was Brad Green, the club’s president.
‘Mate, we need to talk,’ Green reportedly said.
And so began the premiership-winning mentor’s immediate exit from the Demons.
Green was then joined at Goodwin’s house by head of football Alan Richardson, interim chief executive David Chippindall and board member Angela Williams.
The quartet wanted to present a united front, and deliver the news to Goodwin personally.
Sacked Melbourne Demons coach Simon Goodwin was at home on August 4 when his phone rang – and it wasn’t good news (pictured, with his wife Kris)
Goodwin fronted the media on Tuesday at the MCG – and the departing coach fired off a bullet which he disguised as humour
After delivering a historic flag in 2021, Goodwin deserved that.
Given the Demons currently sit in 12th spot, the coach, 48, was somewhat blindsided by the decision.
Other clubs are in far worse positions, namely West Coast, Richmond and North Melbourne.
But Goodwin – who also won premierships as a player with the Adelaide Crows in 1997 and 1998 – knows the AFL is a results business.
Another season where Melbourne won’t play finals footy was deemed unacceptable by club management, so Goodwin was moved on.
Polarising commentator Kane Cornes felt the playing group – and Goodwin – haven’t evolved and the decision was inevitable.
‘If you’re looking at all the important factors, the way they play has been the issue for years,’ he said on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters this week.
‘They are stuck in 2015 with their game styles, contest and defence, he (Goodwin) hasn’t been able to improve that. He hasn’t had a game style that stacks up in 2025.
Goodwin in happier times after winning the 2021 Grand Final (pictured, with Demons legend Max Gawn)
‘He hasn’t been able to solve that. The (club) culture is (also) a mess, the senior players appear to do whatever they want.’
Goodwin fronted the media on Tuesday at the MCG – and the departing coach couldn’t resist firing off a bullet disguised as humour.
‘I’m going to miss the players first and foremost,’ he said.
‘I have some amazing relationships with some blokes I’ve coached for an incredibly long time….probably what I won’t miss is driving down to Casey.’
It was a reference to the senior playing group often commuting to Casey Fields in Cranbourne – more than 50km from the CBD – for training sessions.
Goodwin – who has already been linked to a move to Sydney next season – will receive a reported payout of $1.2million from the Demons, as he was contracted until 2026.
Assistant Melbourne coach Troy Chaplin will step in as caretaker coach for the remainder of this season ahead of fixtures against the Western Bulldogs, Hawthorn and Collingwood.
