Leaked documents have revealed the Melbourne Demons agreed to start “scenario planning” for the potential sacking of coach Simon Goodwin before the 2021 AFL season.
Minutes from a Demons board meeting in March 2021 obtained by the Herald Sun detail advanced discussions about a contingency plan to replace Goodwin if needed.
During the five-hour meeting, the board discussed whether the club needed to prepare for the scenario in which Goodwin would be sacked if the Demons’ form dropped off, if he couldn’t “cope” with being coach, or if his alleged off-field behaviour flared up.
In attendance at the board meeting were chief executive Gary Pert, current president and then-director Kate Roffey, football director Brad Green, vice-president Mohan Jesudason, board members John Trotter and Steve Morris and then-club boss Glen Bartlett.
“A discussion was held about the need to conduct scenarios if Simon Goodwin cannot cope or if the board does have to move on Simon Goodwin,” the minutes read.
“GB (Bartlett) noted that the MFC illicit drugs policy needs to be improved. A working group with some directors may be established … JT (Trotter) noted that a mid-year unplanned sacking is devastating to the club based on his experience on the MFC board.
“GB reiterated his strong view that the coach should not be dismissed on performance grounds in the middle of the season, but behaviours and capacity remain watching areas for Simon Goodwin …
“A discussion was held as to supporting Simon Goodwin and continually ensuring he is fit for work.”
The minutes note an action item for the board “to conduct scenario planning”.
According to the Herald Sun, Bartlett and Pert approached Goodwin with their concerns after Barlett and Jesudason met with AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan and chairman Richard Goyder to discuss Goodwin’s behaviour.
A month after the board meeting, Bartlett was forced out of the board and Roffey took over as club president.
The Demons went on to win the 2021 AFL premiership, breaking a 57-year drought.
Melbourne have made the top four in the two seasons since their premiership but have been quickly eliminated in consecutive ‘straight sets’ finals exits.
Goodwin is contracted until the end of the 2026 season.
The developments about scenario planning for Goodwin’s potential sacking is the latest in a series of off-season scandals that has the Demons in turmoil.
Captain Max Gawn has defended Melbourne’s club culture after fringe player Joel Smith tested positive to a banned substance late in the season and Clayton Oliver was accused of bending windscreen wipers on parked cars.
Despite being contracted until 2030, Oliver was mentioned in trade talks during the recent AFL Trade Period.
“I am certainly very bullish on the culture that we have built over the last three or four years, that it can withstand adversity like this and we are able to get in the top four again, like we have in the last three years,” Gawn told Channel 7.
“There has been some stuff over the last few weeks, but I feel like this happens at most clubs – adversity here, adversity there – obviously our adversity has all come at once.”
Kane Cornes disagreed with Gawn’s assessment and criticised the Demons’ culture.
“Can I tell you it doesn’t happen at most clubs, Max,” Cornes said on SEN.
“Can I tell you that players don’t take drugs midweek.
“This does not happen at most clubs. The thought is that okay, ‘All these players get up to this’. That may be true, if I had to guess and I’d be just guessing that four out of 10 players perhaps indulge in this. Some would say more.
“But that would be in the off-season.
“I keep saying this, maybe I am naive with this, but I would be astounded if there are many players doing this a couple of days before a game.
“Max Gawn says this happens at most clubs. Well, no, it doesn’t.”
“At most clubs, your best players don’t have significant issues like Clayton Oliver has,” Cornes said.
“We’ve got the Oliver (saga), then we’ve got Smith, then we’ve got May embarrassing himself at the best and fairest saying that they would have won the premiership.
“I think they need to be a bit more honest about where their football club is at.”
