AFL 2020: Melbourne coach welcomes extra scrutiny after scathing comments from the club chairman

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin agreed with comments from the club chairman his players were “insipid” last week and wants them to thrive under increased pressure.

The Demons trudge off the Gabba after being easily beaten by Port Adelaide. Picture: Michael Klein

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin has welcomed the increased pressure brought on by scathing comments from club chairman Glen Bartlett in the wake of an “unacceptable” performance against Port Adelaide last week.

And while Goodwin said he wouldn’t be making any excuses for the 51-point smashing by Port, forward Tom McDonald has paid the price for his poor output and been dropped for Wednesday’s clash with Adelaide.

Bartlett was livid after the Demons managed just one goal in a half against Port, calling the effort “insipid” and “disgraceful”.

Goodwin, who is contracted until the end of 2022, said he agreed with the club boss, who has thrown his support behind the coach to turn things around.

“I think when the chairman speaks you’ve got to listen,” Goodwin said.

“Glen was speaking of an emotion that supported what I thought and what our supporters thought.

“I’ve spoken to Glen at length and he’s had nothing but support for myself. I was employed to lead this footy club with a clear strategy, to lead us to our next premiership, and I’m still very confident we are going to be able to do that.

’If that puts pressure on me, those comments, I have to accept that. I know where we are at. I want to thrive under this pressure.”

Simon Goodwin is under the pump. Picture: Michael Klein

Despite slumping to a 3-5 record, Goodwin was adamant Melbourne’s season was “well and truly alive” ahead of a must-win clash against the winless Crows.

“What we are looking for right now is for people to thrive. We’re looking for staff, for coaches, for players who really welcome this opportunity. There is no better opportunity to deal with pressure,” he said.

“As a club that’s where we have placed ourselves, on our own doing, and we are the ones who will get ourselves out of it.

“We’ve got an incredibly proud group. We made some progression, we regressed badly, and we get a chance to do something about it.”

Goodwin confirmed skipper Max Gawn was “fine” and would play the Crows, but forward McDonald, who has kicked just four goals in six games, wouldn’t.

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Goodwin said the Demons had scrapped the idea of playing three tall forwards, as they did last week, and McDonald wasn’t performing well enough to keep his spot.

“We’ve got to work with Tom to get him back to his best,” Goodwin said, ruling out returning McDonald to defence.

“We need him to play like a big man, compete aerially and at ground level, and we are going to keep working with him. Tom would be disappointed with his output in recent times, and we need to get him to his best.

Aaron Vandenberg will return after having surgery on his cheekbone, and Goodwin said Melbourne would take 29 players to Adelaide for back-to-back games against the Crows and North Melbourne.