Simon Goodwin may have three games left to prove his credentials as Melbourne’s senior coach after slumping to 0-5 for the first time since 2012. But there’s more positive news regarding the future of one of the club’s stars.
Including last Saturday’s loss to Essendon at Gather Round, since Round 19 of last season, Goodwin’s side has gone a meagre 1-11 to well and truly heat the 48-year-old’s seat.
In the first half of its 39-point defeat at the hands of the Bombers, Melbourne managed just two goals from 28 inside-50s — a seven per cent scoring rate. They also had 16 centre-bounce clearances for just one point.
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Four-time premiership player and former Demon Jordan Lewis said he “felt for the players” after the club’s latest disenchanting outing.
“It just seemed to me like they’re out on the field and there just wasn’t the clarity or the automation (that) the good teams play (with),” he said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.
“Two goals in the first half, that’s unacceptable.
“I think that’s why Simon Goodwin holds optimism, because you do on paper see the calibre of players that are out there. His job is to get them playing to their capabilities.”
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Triple Richmond premiership forward Jack Riewoldt expressed concern trust “is becoming an issue”.
“We heard a lot through the pre-season about the culture they were building around this connection of love — it was a word that we heard a lot from the Melbourne Football Club — but at the moment, I look at a side that doesn’t trust,” he told Fox Footy on Monday night.
“I think in the way that they’re selling their story, you think about the Melbourne story from the fact that Christian Petracca got injured late last year in a pretty threatening injury, and it’s come to light that Simon Goodwin hasn’t reached out to his family until the last four weeks.
“That might be Simon Goodwin’s fault, that might be a miscommunication … but that’s a trust issue that any business is built off trust. And at the moment, the way they are playing looks like they don’t trust each other.
“Have we been duped a little bit by this Melbourne culture and thinking that they can just talk it into existence?”
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Herald Sun journalist Jon Ralph revealed mixed news on On the Couch that Goodwin might have “as few as three” weeks to save his coaching job — but added that Christian Petracca ‘backs’ the Demons and isn’t seeking a trade despite past speculation.
“Simon Goodwin might have as few as three games to save his AFL coaching career, but at least he will do so with the backing, right now, of Christian Petracca,” Ralph reported.
“So much talk about a trade, (but) I spoke to his manager Anna Scullie tonight — she tells Fox Footy there is no prospect of him asking for a trade.
“I can tell you he is committed from moving on from that issue and from the past, so much so that he’s actually dropped out of the AFLPA joining an investigation into that injury on King’s Birthday.
“He met with AFL football boss Laura Kane, he says now that he cannot be part of that investigation, needs to back in the club doctor and his teammates and of course the senior officials at the club.
“Scullie tells Fox Footy he’s committed to Melbourne, he’s showing that leadership, he’s really committed to getting through this year and next year … he has not entered that (a trade) into his psyche.”
In the next three weeks, the Demons play Fremantle, Richmond and West Coast, with Ralph adding: “As for Goodwin, the ground, unfortunately, is crumbling beneath him … if Melbourne is 0-8 or 1-7 at that stage, the club will have to consider making decisions.”
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