Melbourne Demons coach Simon Goodwin breaks silence on bullying allegations

The premiership coach responded on AFL 360 to an explosive report about his behaviour heading into the 2021 season.

Simon Goodwin opened up on AFL 360.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin has on AFL 360 publicly for the first time spoken about a report that claims of serious misconduct saw the club consider sacking him on the eve of the 2021 season.

The Herald Sun reported in February that the Melbourne board discussed the possibility of firing Goodwin amid allegations of gambling, bullying and other behavioural issues.

Melbourne rejected accusations Goodwin had bullied a former club doctor, while the now-premiership coach was given fierce support from his players and colleagues in the aftermath of the article’s release.
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Goodwin addressed the article on AFL 360.

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Mark Robinson: The events at the start of last year that were written up in the Herald Sun, was that a really big development phase for you the person or was it water off a duck’s back? Can you be honest, what was it like for that period when you knew people were questioning you as a person and your character?

Simon Goodwin: I think it‘s frustrating and disappointing because you know who you are, the people around you know who you are and you know the journey that you’ve been on in life. I think you can see from the support the club’s given Kate Roffey, the players and my family and friends that the truth lies in there. I’m really proud of who I’ve become and the journey that I’ve been on. It’s frustrating and disappointing that it’s been played out in a public space, but I think that’s sometimes the industry we’re in and you work your way through that pretty quickly. My energy is purely focused on this team, this club, these players. I love them and it’s not going to be focused into those sort of areas that don’t really mean much to me anymore.

Mark Robinson: I would imagine when one of your players is under that sort of spotlight the club puts their arm around him at that time ... did you experience that tremendous warmth of a football club?

Simon Goodwin: It’s incredibly humbling to have Max Gawn and a range of leaders just tap in and support you the way they have and Kate Roffey and the board. I think the truth lies in there and they know me, they know what I‘m about, they know the connection that I have with them. As I said, it’s very humbling to get that support.

Gerard Whateley: The politics of Melbourne at the time, I actually think is probably more interesting. Did you feel at any stage in February last year that you were at risk that you would be stood down from the job?

Simon Goodwin: There‘s no doubt the pressure was building. Like any coach that hasn’t paid finals for a couple of years, that pressure starts to build ... my focus was purely on getting the team prepared, getting them ready and focusing my energies on the things that really matter and the things that matter were the things that started to come out on field and the proof was really in the pudding.

Gerard Whateley: How did it sit with you that the club had a six figure settlement with the doctor and then we‘ve subsequently read the Do you believe your conduct towards the doctor was in the category of bullying?

Simon Goodwin: I think the allegations are the allegations. I think the disappointing thing about the whole thing playing out publicly is that it hasn‘t been told from my perspective and it’s never going to be told from my perspective.

Mark Robinson: Why not?

Simon Goodwin: It’s just the way that this whole industry works and the corporate world works. In the end, the people around me, the staff that I work with know who I am, what I’m about and how I go about conducting my business and I make no apologies. We produce a high performance and high performance environment and that’s one of care, it’s one of safety and one that we really value.

Mark Robinson: Do you know who leaked that information? If you did know, would you confront that person? Six months earlier you bought a flag to a club that hadn’t won a flag since 1964 and then it was decided that that stuff was going to be made public. Do you know who did it and have you spoken to that person?

Simon Goodwin: I think you‘d probably have more idea Robbo, working at the Herald Sun, but that’s not up to me. I probably feel disappointed and sorry for the people that are prepared to go down that path because it’s a piece of information, a very specific piece of information without the full context. You know more than me about who leaked it, I probably feel a little bit sorry for the people that go down that path but I’m really comfortable with where my energy sits and where it’s going for this footy club.

Originally published as Melbourne Demons coach Simon Goodwin breaks silence on bullying allegations