Melbourne’s Max Gawn hails Simon Goodwin as an elite coach as club looks to offer a new deal

MELBOURNE ruckman Max Gawn says the Demons are “living a rollercoaster” at the moment, but believes his club is no flash in the pan, having done the hard work to achieve sustained success.

Max Gawn is happy Simon Goodwin will stay on as coach of Melbourne. Picture: AFL Media/Getty Images

MAX Gawn says Melbourne wants to establish a sustained period of finals success as coach Simon Goodwin closes in on a two-year contract extension.

Brownlow contender Gawn has paid tribute to Goodwin as an elite match-day coach and “dad” of the young playing group as Melbourne’s succession plan hit paydirt.

Goodwin is set to win an extension past his current term to 2019, locking him in until 2021 as the Demons marched into their first preliminary final since 2000.

Collingwood’s own succession plan with Nathan Buckley has also finally been vindicated as the Pies look to secure their own coach with a summer contract extension.

Collingwood’s new-look board will follow a rigorous process but a man who has fought to save his job for several seasons now has a new-found powerbase.

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Max Gawn of the Demons celebrates with Simon Goodwin

Buckley is contracted until the end of next year but can expect to win a contract extension of at least a year and likely two before next season starts.

Collingwood and Melbourne will also cash in on their status as power Melbourne clubs playing exciting football with young and marketable stars.

Both can expect a huge boost in Thursday and Friday night football after Melbourne secured only a single Friday night clash this year — an away clash against Port Adelaide.

Collingwood secured only three Friday night clashes in 2018 and can expect a big uplift given their form and marketable faces including Jordan De Goey, Brodie Grundy and high-flying Jeremy Howe.

Gawn told the Herald Sun the Demons were determined not to be a flash in the pan, thrilled Goodwin was set to be at the club long-term.

“You really can’t imagine life without Goody at the moment,” Gawn said.

“I have had seven coaches in my short career. He is a super person and a real dad of this group. He loves his players and he is a really good game-day coach. I don’t think he will be going anywhere.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin and assistant Matthew Egan . Pic: Michael Klein

“We can start looking ahead, which is rare for this club. If the contract comes, it comes, but we all think Goody is going to be here for a long time.

“We really want to build a club that sustains success.

“We are living a rollercoaster at the moment and Melbourne is in the finals for the first time in a while, but this is what we want to do, this is what we are building, this is what the hard work has been about, so we want to be here for a while yet.”

The Demons are fresh from successive wins over West Coast in Perth — one at old home Subiaco and the other recently at the new Optus Stadium.

Collingwood’s Adam Treloar said this week he had never heard a louder crowd than at the Optus Stadium finals loss to the Eagles but Gawn worries more about their personnel than partisan support.

“We are pretty confident at the venue. When we played them recently they had no (Josh) Kennedy and no Jack Darling (who was knocked out early) but our contested ball brand really stood up over there.

“The Sydney game the week before was really disappointing so we knew we had to make a statement.”