Melbourne has locked away premiership coach Simon Goodwin until the end of 2026 in a strong show of faith on the eve of finals.
Goodwin has signed a two-year contract extension to stay with the Demons, which will make him the club’s fourth coach to reach 200 games along with Norm Smith, Frank Hughes and Neale Daniher.
The commitment comes as Melbourne remains firm in its support of Goodwin following allegations levelled against him as part of a court action by former club president Glenn Bartlett.
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Goodwin called the unsubstantiated claims of his poor behaviour “absolute rubbish” in his press conference last week, while Melbourne’s board released a statement saying it “unequivocally refuted” the accusations against the senior coach.
The former Adelaide premiership player, who took the reins at the Demons in 2017, said it was an “absolute privilege” to continue at the helm into a 10th season.
“I’ve said it from the time I walked through the door; we are an incredibly proud club, with such great history, and I feel blessed to be able to do this job,” Goodwin said.
“It takes so many great people to make a football club, from players to staff, to the CEO and board, to members and supporters. It’s everyone, connected and aligned, and I’m just lucky enough to be steering the ship.”
Melbourne chief executive Gary Pert said Goodwin’s focus on “continual improvement” was a major contributor to his successful tenure.
“Simon is a passionate, dedicated Melbourne person, and we couldn’t be more pleased to have him leading our AFL team for the next three years,” Pert said.
“Simon has taken our club to great heights, but it is his focus on continual improvement that is most impressive. He is steadfast in his pursuit of delivering our members and supporters more success.
“We look forward to seeing what he and the team can achieve this season, and in the years to come.”
Melbourne faces Sydney at the SCG on Sunday, and is an outside chance of securing a top two spot and home final with a win and upset losses to Brisbane and Port Adelaide.
