Simon Goodwin shows similar traits to Melbourne coach Paul Roos says Bernie Vince

MELBOURNE star Bernie Vince says coach in waiting Simon Goodwin shows similar traits to current senior coach Paul Roos.

GEELONG, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 21: Bernie Vince of the Demons celebrates winning with Simon Goodwin the assistant coach of the Demons during the round 12 AFL match between the Geelong Cats and the Melbourne Demons at Simonds Stadium on June 21, 2015 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE star Bernie Vince says coach in waiting Simon Goodwin shows similar traits to Paul Roos.

Vince, who played with Goodwin for five seasons at Adelaide, said the 38-year-old’s ability to simplify instructions was helping the Demons’ youngsters develop efficiently.

After retiring in 2010 Goodwin spent four seasons at Essendon and served as Mark Thompson’s senior assistant last year before winning the position as next Demons coach.

The Roos tenure has 32 home-and-away games left before Goodwin’s reign begins.

“He’s been awesome for the group,” Vince told the Herald Sun.

“Especially the young guys, just clearing their heads a bit and narrowing down their focus to a couple of key areas that are going to make them better rather than trying to become the perfect player.

Paul Roos and assistant Simon Goodwin. Picture: Michael Klein

“Roosy’s exactly the same — they’re very, very similar styled coaches.

“They know how to manage different people, and you need to be able to do that as a coach because you’ve got 44 different personalities.”

Vince said he was “rapt” Goodwin got the job and the pair stayed in contact last year.

Dees forward Jack Watts has said coach-in-waiting Goodwin was a key mastermind behind the club’s new-found attacking flair.

Melbourne failed to kick 100 points under Roos last year but it already has three times in 2015 — for three wins.

“Goody’s been unreal,” Watts said.

Bernie Vince celebrates Melbourne’s win over Geelong with the fans. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

“He’s come in and brought that offensive ball movement focus and obviously Roosy is very defensive, so it’s really held us in good stead.”

Vince said when Goodwin arrived he wasted no time striking relationships with players.

“He was our captain for his last few years at Adelaide and he was almost like a coach to be honest,” Vince said.

Vince said when he arrived at the Dees 18 months ago he saw no signs of the mental scars Roos has referred to.

“I just saw a group that was eager, young, keen and willing to learn and one thing that stood out was how hard they train,” he said.

“It was a real fit group. But it was just getting those great runners to be able to run good patterns and find the footy.

“A lot of those good runners weren’t actually in the side. So we had to transfer that to gamestyle running, rather than cone running.”

Vince said No. 2 draft pick Christian Petracca — out for the season with a ruptured ACL — had shone as a teenager keen to learn.

“Christian Petracca’s going to be a gun, he’s been an awesome contributor off the field as well and he’s been really good in meetings,” Vince said.

“You could see he would’ve been in our Round 1 side, no doubt.”

Originally published as Simon Goodwin shows similar traits to Melbourne coach Paul Roos says Bernie Vince