AFL 2022: Melbourne throw support behind coach Simon Goodwin after bullying claims
‘Just keep what you’re doing, Goody’. And with those words Melbourne showed their faith in coach Simon Goodwin was unbreachable, even in the face of some serious allegations.
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Melbourne president Kate Roffey has thrown her support behind Demons coach Simon Goodwin following allegations of behavioural issues and bullying.
It was revealed by News Corp last month the Demons board had considered standing down Goodwin at the start of last year over the serious allegations.
Speaking at the Melbourne annual general meeting on Wednesday night, Roffey said the club was “completely aligned” and that she’d personally assured the premiership coach the club would back him in.
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Roffey did not address any of the specific allegations against Goodwin.
“I know on behalf of Simon, I think I’d like to thank all of you out there who’ve been in touch with the club and provided some really positive feedback and support,” Roffey said.
“I think overwhelmingly those messages said very clearly ‘Goody, we’re all 100 per cent behind you.’
“So, I’ve specifically said to Simon, on behalf of I’m sure everyone who’s listening (to), just keep doing what you’re doing.
“And I’m sure if it means you bring us another AFL premiership flag in 2022 then we’ll all be very happy about that.”
Roffey went further, describing Goodwin as a “genuinely good person” and a “magnificent leader of this club”
“I think our whole club is about caring for our people first and, knowing Simon well, his empathy and genuine concern for the players is something that makes Goody a standout,” she said.
Roffey got her wish on the election front, with Demons members emphatically backing in the board that led the club to a drought-breaking premiership win last year.
Three current directors – David Robb, John Trotter and Sally Freeman – had all re-nominated for their positions.
Two additional candidates, John Condon and Peter Lawrence, are sought to join the board.
It was announced Robb, Trotter and Freeman had all been re-elected on Wednesday night.
The three current directors were comfortably re-elected, with Condon and Lawrence missing out.
In an open letter to Melbourne members last month, Roffey said the board’s key priority was to “maintain stability and full alignment right throughout the club to ensure a long period of sustained success.”
Demons chief executive Gary Pert said he believed the club was on track to sign up 65,000 members this year and they were aiming for 75,000 by 2023.
Gawn’s big round 1 call as tensions build
- Alex Oates and Chris Cavanagh
Melbourne captain Max Gawn has added to the hype ahead of the grand final rematch against the Western Bulldogs, declaring the season opener one of the most highly-anticipated matches of his career.
While Gawn downplayed talk of a nasty rivalry developing between the two clubs, the Demons champion said he could hardly wait to renew hostilities with the Dogs on March 16.
“To play at the ‘G in front of our home fans is something that we’ve wanted to do for a while,” Gawn said.
“And because of last year and the opportunity that’s in front of us in terms of playing the Western Bulldogs in a grand final rematch — Round 1 is something that I’m almost looking forward to more than any game I have played in my career, apart from the grand final.”
Just days after Melbourne broke a 57-year premiership drought, Demons and Bulldogs players reportedly almost came to blows at a Perth nightclub.
There had been tension after a heated Round 19 clash, but that escalated when Demons players linked arms and sang ‘Freed from Desire’ – the same song Bulldogs players were seen dancing to after their preliminary final win over Port Adelaide.
“I love a natural way to build up a rivalry,” Gawn said.
“We’ve tried to build a couple in the last few years, but it really doesn’t come unless you’re playing in some really big games against teams consistently and we had three pretty big games against the Western Bulldogs last year. Both teams were close to undefeated in Round 11, there was the rematch in Round 19 and then the granny, so there is a bit of a rivalry building.
“I don’t think there’s too much to look into with any of the other stories that have gone around. Both teams are just hungry to beat each other out on the field.”
In a bumper start to the 2022 season, Melbourne is also set to unfurl their premiership flag in the season opener with a group of its legends to take part in the ceremony.
Past players Ron Barassi, Hassa Mann, David Neitz, Garry Lyon, Stan Alves, Greg Wells, Todd Viney and the recently retired Nathan Jones will all form a guard of honour as part of the unfurling.
The Demons launched their premiership defence in ominous fashion on the weekend, thrashing North Melbourne in a practice match, but Gawn said he wouldn’t “read too much into it”.
“Obviously we’re trying to put our best foot forward because it’s a tight squeeze for spots within our team at the moment, and I feel if anyone went easy in a practice game they would almost be out the door,” Gawn said.
“It’s also taken us a long time to build our brand to what it is now. And it’s easy to lose what you have built over these practice game by changing your game plan a little bit, so we were hell for leather in trying to beat North and we got that done. Now for Carlton and then onto Round 1 with 100,000 people at the ‘G.”
Gawn is adamant the Dogs will again be in the premiership mix, but he also expects Richmond to contend.
“We still have to improve to play finals and the Bulldogs would be the same, as would Brisbane, Port Adelaide and Geelong and the sides that were in and around the prelims,” Gawn said.
“I presume Richmond will be back in the mix as well and there’s always teams up and coming, like us who finished ninth the year before, who will be challenging us at different points of the season.
“But we’re focused on us at the moment and we just want to play our best footy and go from 2021 Demons to 2022 and hopefully it’s a good brand of football that stacks up.”
Gawn will appear at Geelong’s Sphinx Hotel on Friday night as part of the 2021 Premiership Show, which will also feature star Christian Petracca and coach Simon Goodwin.
Will Blues risk sore pair?
—Chris Cavanagh
Carlton is weighing up whether to risk key forwards Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow in Thursday night’s pre-season clash with reigning premier Melbourne.
The Blues are set to face off with the Demons at Marvel Stadium in a final dress rehearsal two weeks before their Round 1 clash with Richmond.
Curnow left the field with a “minor” knee complaint in last Thursday’s win over St Kilda, in which he had logged 10 disposals, five marks and three behinds in a promising performance.
However, the Blues were convinced it was not any cause for concern and Curnow was never sent for scans.
The 25-year-old has pulled up well from the injury scare, but Carlton could err on the side of caution as it prepares to get Curnow cherry ripe for Round 1.
The club has also taken a cautious approach with McKay, who missed last week’s practice match with a lingering foot complaint but has been training well as he pushes to return.
Sam Docherty has also impressed on the track and will be considered for selection this week, as will ruckman Tom De Koning who has recovered after having a blood clot removed from his shoulder.
Jack Martin and Lachie Plowman will both be available after being managed for last week’s practice match against the Saints.
Melbourne is expected to again roll out a near full-strength side after only four 2021 premiership players missed last week’s practice match win over North Melbourne in Harrison Petty (calf), Jake Lever (rolled ankle), Bayley Fritsch (bruised calf) and Jack Viney (AFL health and safety protocols)
Bont enshrined in Dogs history forever
—Chris Cavanagh
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has called on his players to be “revolutionaries” as the club strives to achieve a sustained period of success and become a “benchmark” team in the AFL.
Speaking publicly for the first time since last year’s heartbreaking 74-point Grand Final loss to Melbourne, Beveridge said the Bulldogs had lofty long-term ambitions to eventually become one of the greatest and largest sporting organisations in the country.
“Our Bulldogs’ revolutionary intent is to establish ourselves as the benchmark in this competition over a sustained period of time and through this generating a groundswell of support that challenges the highest memberships in the competition, excites the broadcasters of the game and nurtures partnerships with existing people, partners and entities,” Beveridge told the club’s 2022 Season Launch on Monday night.
“At times we’ve been on our way on our revolutionary journey as an outfit, but we haven’t been able to sustain it. The choice to take up the responsibility to hunt down this sustained period of success is what we’re confronted with.”
The Bulldogs have played finals each of the past three years but have just one losing Grand Final appearance to show for their efforts since their breakthrough 2016 premiership.
Entering his eighth season as coach, Beveridge said he had asked players to “take up the challenge for our club” and be better and stronger than ever together this season.
The Bulldogs are targeting record membership this year, having already ticked over 40,000 paid-up members last week.
“To have reached 40,000 by the weekend, we’re not only well on track to reach 50,000 but to push beyond that,” Western Bulldogs chief executive Ameet Bains said.
Bains said the “hunger” from the coaching and playing group to go one step further this year was clear to see after a 2021 season that threw up no shortage of challenges.
The Bulldogs played each of their four finals last year in four different states.
“The team should and will draw enormous confidence from what we were able to achieve on the road in some pretty trying circumstances,” he said.
“If we had of actually achieved that final hurdle, it would have made a remarkable story.
“To have done what the team did up until the last moments of the season was astounding in the circumstances. It should give us all enormous confidence of what they’re able to do this year with a clear run and hopefully fewer injuries.”
Captain Marcus Bontempelli and fellow midfielder Lachie Hunter were both awarded life membership of the club at the season launch.
The Western Bulldogs face Brisbane in an AAMI Community Series match at Marvel Stadium on Friday night, ahead of their AFL season-opener against Melbourne against Melbourne on March 16.
Originally published as AFL 2022: Melbourne throw support behind coach Simon Goodwin after bullying claims
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