It has been a busy offseason for the Melbourne Demons for all the wrong reasons.
First, it was the hectic trade saga of star midfielder Clayton Oliver, in which off-field behavioural issues became an unfortunate focus.
Then it was sixth-year Demons forward Joel Smith, who was embroiled in a positive drug test scandal resulting in a potential four-year suspension.
And for good measure, allegations of coach Simon Goodwin’s substance abuse and rumoured tension at the club have resurfaced.
This has attracted the focus of the media and public alike. Not so much the $1 million reward for the McClelland Trophy, which celebrated Melbourne as the most successful club across AFL and AFLW.
Nor has it been the AFL Women’s side that is on track for its second-straight premiership.
With external scrutiny reaching boiling point, Melbourne chief executive Gary Pert and long-time coach Goodwin have lifted the lid in a pair of public vocalisations.
Simon Goodwin, Melbourne deny illicit drugs rumours
In August, allegations were made against Goodwin in a court action involving former club president Glen Bartlett. Claims of behavioural issues and substance abuse were levelled against the Demons coach.
Both Goodwin and Melbourne denied the claims at the time, with the coach labelling the accusations as “absolute rubbish”.
In an open letter penned on Monday, Demons CEO Pert addressed rumours that Goodwin had taken illicit substances during a gathering with players at the Sorrento Hotel in 2020.
The Melbourne boss insisted that a club investigation revealed there was no substance to the claims.
Addressing those same rumours on SEN Breakfast on Tuesday morning, Goodwin remained adamant that he’d “never” taken illicit drugs.
“And I’ve said this over a three-year period now and it’s pretty ordinary that I’m actually sitting in this position and having to justify that situation,” he said.
“I know where it happened in terms of a rumour from down in the Mornington Peninsula where it was clearly going around.
“That for me was really concerning and bizarre at the time. It then led to an allegation. An allegation that was fully investigated by Gary Pert and the club about what that might’ve looked like – and there was nothing in it.
“I don’t use illicit drugs and I never will.”
