Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin insists he is the right man to bring change to the Demons, and has revealed plans to upgrade a game plan to generate more scoring as he fights to save his job.
The Demons are winless after five rounds and sit at the foot of the ladder with the West Coast Eagles, heaping pressure on Goodwin to find answers.
Simon Goodwin was bullish on Tuesday, declaring change would be a good thing come Saturday’s clash against Fremantle.Credit: Getty Images
Age columnist Caroline Wilson reported on Seven’s Agenda Setters on Monday that Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge, uncontracted beyond this season, is on the Demons’ hit list should they part ways with Goodwin.
Now in his ninth season in charge, Goodwin said on Tuesday he was ready to herald in change ahead of Saturday’s home clash against Fremantle, just as president Brad Green had sought on Monday in his letter to club members.
“I am really comfortable with the outside noise. I understand the outside is there. When you are zero and five and not winning games of footy, you are going to be criticised. But I am more than confident in my ability as a coach to lead change,” Goodwin said.
“I have done it for seven years before our [2021 premiership] success. And it is difficult, and it is not linear. And you will have periods where you are under enormous pressure, but I am confident in myself, I am confident in our coaches, I am confident in our program, I am confident in our players that we have got there, to start transitioning to play better footy.
“As I said, it’s uncomfortable right now, but, jeez, it’s going to make it more joyous when we get to the other side of it.”
The Demons have been a mess up forward all season, averaging only 61 points per game after scores of 74, 66, 62, 46 and 57. Only the Eagles have been worse.
That they have won the inside-50 count in four of their five matches, but have kicked more than nine goals only once, has added to the frustration about their connection forward of centre, compounded in that they have conceded an average of 100.6 points per game.
Goodwin said the Demons would “stick” with their typical patterns of ball movement, but stressed that what players did when they did not have the ball would change.
“We are far too easy to play against. When people look at us, the lack of pressure, the stuff we are doing without the ball, that’s what concerns people, and that’s what concerns me as a coach,” Goodwin said.
“For a long time at this club we have valued it to a high level, and when we get it back, and we’ll see it pretty quickly, everyone will see it, we are going to train it, you’ll see this fight, you’ll see this resilience, and [we will] be a team that is hard to play against again.”
Goodwin said players may initially feel “uncomfortable” with change, but the team needed to evolve.
“Clearly, there is a lot of commentary out there, a lot of noise about our footy club, where we are at, what we are doing.
“The reality is we are trying to change in a few areas about how we play. That can be difficult and change is hard, and sometimes you will fail doing it. But we are committed to it,” Goodwin said.
“We are committed to going down this path of trying to play a different way, a new way, a better way. And obviously with that will come a little bit more scoring.
“Right now, we are getting our opportunities, but we are not taking them, which is a positive. But what we are doing without the ball isn’t where it needs to be.”
Green has backed Goodwin, the 2021 premiership coach, to change, calling on the Demons to reprise something similar to the five-goal burst they had in the third term against Essendon in Gather Round, although they ultimately lost by 39 points.
“I think we saw, for 15 minutes, that intensity, that fight, that resilience without the ball was there, and we were able to score. We need to bring that way more in our game, and that’s what the focus has really been,” Goodwin said.
“How do we bring that to a level of consistency that will enable everything else we are trying to change to come to life?”
Goodwin said there would be change at selection. He was confident small forward Kysaiah Pickett (ankle) would play this week, and said defender Steven May (plantar fasciitis) would be monitored.
He defended the team’s leaders, without naming the likes of Max Gawn, Jack Viney and Christian Petracca, insisting “we are in this together”.
Adding to the uncertainty at the club in a year when average attendances and membership have dropped is that they are still without a permanent chief executive after parting ways with Gary Pert last year.
“I love the challenge. Change is always happening. And you get to a certain point where it creates success. And then you have a few more years after where you put yourself in a position for more success,” Goodwin said.
“Right now, we are in a position where we need to evolve. I love that challenge as a coach. Our players are up for that change, but we need to do it together.
“As I said, it can be uncomfortable but, right now, we are as committed as ever to what we are doing.”
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.
