AFL 2023: Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin faces the media after Demons respond to allegations

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin has hit back at fresh allegations about his behaviour, telling the media the ‘irrelevant story’ is ‘absolute rubbish’. See his full response here.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin has hit out at fresh allegations about his behaviour which were revealed in court documents this week, slamming them as “absolute rubbish”.

Documents were released by the Supreme Court of Western Australia this week detailing more claims in a standoff between the Demons and former president Glenn Bartlett.

In the documents, Bartlett’s fiancée Vicki Lapas states that the former Dees boss was “dealing with information provided to him concerning Goodwin’s alleged drug use and gambling…among other issues…in about late 2020 and early 2021”.

Goodwin has engaged top Sydney defamation litigator Rebekah Giles but again denied having any behavioural issues on Thursday morning.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin will speak to the media today. Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos

“I think I’ve said for three years it’s an irrelevant story to me and I think the club and I have been really clear on our stance of where we see it,” Goodwin said.

“(It’s) absolute rubbish that’s been put in there and I’ve been pretty clear on it. To be honest, I just can’t give it the energy that people want me to. It’s not something that I get too concerned about. I’ve got a footy team to worry about and to coach a team and a footy club forward.”

Asked why he thought some people within the club had concerns about his behaviour, Goodwin responded: “You’d have to ask them. It’s absolute rubbish”.

As Melbourne prepares to face Hawthorn at the MCG on Sunday, Goodwin said he wouldn’t let the off-field battles affect him.

“It’s disappointing to be brought up but I’ve learnt over time about what I give energy to,” he said.

“The best thing I give energy to is to my players, to my footy club, to my team. That’s all I’m really worried about and that’s all I’ve been worried about the whole time I’ve been coaching Melbourne footy club. These distractions will occur. It’s unfortunate. It’s sad in a lot of ways. But I deal with it and we move forward and it’s irrelevant to me. It’s been no different in the last 48 hours.”

Originally published as AFL 2023: Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin faces the media after Demons respond to allegations