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Daily Mail
27 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Why this photo signalled the beginning of the end for Simon Goodwin at the Melbourne Demons
When the call finally came for Simon Goodwin, it arrived quietly and without ceremony. On Monday night, interim Melbourne president Brad Green and other senior club officials told the 48‑year‑old coach that his time in charge of the Demons was over. The board decided they could not follow him after years of controversy and poor results that faded the team's 2021 premiership magic. Although Goodwin had another season to run on his contract, the club wanted change for 2026 and paid him around $1million to leave. Many fans trace the downfall back to one photo posted on social media three years ago. In February 2022, amid a wave of damaging headlines about his alleged behaviour, Goodwin's captain and staunch ally Max Gawn uploaded an image to Instagram. The Demons' fairytale flag feels distant as off‑field dramas and bitter divisions overwhelm the premiership‑winning coach It showed the pair seated together at the Hotel Sorrento, beers in hand, joined by wedding groom Myles Pitt. They were relaxed and smiling, the sun glinting off their glasses, the kind of casual shot you might expect to see from any group of friends at a coastal pub. Yet the timing was anything but casual. Just hours earlier, it had been had reported that the Melbourne board had previously investigated Goodwin over allegations of gambling, heavy drinking with players, and workplace bullying. Some directors considered sacking him before 2021, but dropped it and he delivered the club's long‑awaited premiership that year. AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan had publicly described Goodwin's habit of drinking with players at the Sorrento pub as 'crazy,' adding an extra layer of scrutiny to a coach already under fire. Gawn's post was deliberate. Captioned 'Planning 22' at the local', it openly defied criticism and showed his loyalty to Goodwin. When Gawn fronted the media in the days that followed, he doubled down rather than retreating. 'I am going to continue to have a beer with my boss and my coach, and maybe that's when we nutted out 2021 and what we went on to achieve,' he said. Club president Kate Roffey moved swiftly to reinforce the public display of unity, issuing a statement that described Goodwin as 'an exceptional leader' and insisted that the review into his conduct had found he was 'the right man to lead our club'. The hope was that such words, coming from the very top of the organisation, would draw a line under the issue. Instead, that friendly image became, in hindsight, an early flashpoint over the line between leadership, friendship and professionalism. What followed over the next two years was a steady accumulation of off‑field distractions, internal strains, and public controversies that slowly eroded the authority Goodwin had built in the wake of the premiership. By October 2023, Melbourne's off‑season had descended into one of the ugliest in AFL memory. The Clayton Oliver trade saga erupted into chaos, with the star midfielder eventually staying but later being hospitalised after collapsing. Joel Smith tested positive for cocaine on match day and was subsequently banned for four years under the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code. Angus Brayshaw's career ended in heartbreak after a concussion in the finals, an incident that devastated the playing group and sent shockwaves through the club. There were also looming legal battles involving former president Glen Bartlett and long‑time benefactor Peter Lawrence, each dragging Melbourne into protracted disputes in the Federal Court. Then came the bombshell parliamentary speech from Independent MP Andrew Wilkie, who used parliamentary privilege to accuse the club - and more broadly, the AFL - of covering up positive drug tests. In the days that followed, former club doctor Zeeshan Arain claimed he had fabricated excuses to withdraw players from games to avoid potential sanctions under WADA rules. Through it all, Goodwin attempted to steer the team with a mix of defiance and silence. 'I don't want to convince you we have a good culture. I want to show you,' he said last October, sitting alongside CEO Gary Pert. That was before the pair travelled with football boss Alan Richardson to New Zealand to study the famed All Blacks culture. But even the most genuine study tour could not shift the perception that Melbourne's problems ran deeper than any cultural blueprint could fix. On the field, results told their own story. Melbourne lost four consecutive finals matches after their 2021 flag triumph. The 2025 season began with a demoralising five‑game losing streak and another slump of the same length midway through the year that effectively killed their finals chances. Behind closed doors, board confidence in Goodwin's leadership ebbed with each defeat. Questions arose about whether he still had the players' trust or if constant off‑field issues had weakened his authority. By the time the board met in late July this year, the consensus was clear. The man who had brought them their greatest modern triumph was no longer the man to take them forward. And it all began with that defiant photo posted by Gawn. What was intended as a signal of unity ended up becoming the beginning of a slow, public unraveling that ended with a phone call no coach wants to take.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Tuesday's briefing: Alexander Isak back in Toon as Liverpool parade new signings
Wantaway Newcastle striker Alexander Isak is back on Tyneside while the club linked with him, Liverpool, have been parading the signings they have made this summer at Anfield. Also in the north east, Regis Le Bris has been handed a new contract at Sunderland. Isak returns to Newcastle Alexander Isak is facing showdown talks with Newcastle boss Eddie Howe after returning to Tyneside. The 25-year-old Sweden international headed back to Tyneside over the weekend after spending time working on his fitness at former club Real Sociedad. Isak missed the Magpies' pre-season tour of Asia having cited a thigh injury amid fevered speculation over his future. Newcastle swiftly rejected a £110million bid for the player from Liverpool last week. 'You have to earn the right to train with us,' said Howe before the team flew home from Seoul. 'No player can expect to act poorly and train with the group as normal.' New stars on show at Anfield Established stars Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo scored the goals as Liverpool showcased £270million-worth of new signings in a 3-2 friendly win over Athletic Bilbao at Anfield on Monday. Record recruit Florian Wirtz hit the bar in an eye-catching display while fellow new faces Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Hugo Ekitike also featured for the Premier League champions. Ekitike set up the opener for Salah, who also missed a penalty, and Gakpo struck twice. It was the second of two games against the Basque outfit, with a largely second-string Reds side earlier winning 4-1. Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott, two players linked with moves, were on target along with teenagers Rio Ngumoha and Ben Doak. Tributes were paid to forward Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash last month, in both games. New deal for Black Cats boss Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has signed a new three-year contract. The 49-year-old Frenchman was appointed in June 2024 and guided the Black Cats back to the Premier League after an eight-year absence in his first season. Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said: 'I'm delighted we are announcing this contract extension for Regis. 'It provides clarity going into the Premier League season, but more importantly it recognises his contribution and continued commitment to the club.' Martin defends Gers criticism Russell Martin claims his criticism of some of the Rangers squad following their deflating 1-1 draw with Motherwell on Saturday came from a position of 'love and care'. The Gers boss hit out following the William Hill Premiership opener at Fir Park, questioning mentality, speaking about 'egos' and accusing some of 'self-preservation'. 'I think if they know us by now as a group of coaches that it all comes from a place of love and care for them,' said the Gers boss. Hearts investor targets title Brighton owner Tony Bloom has set his sights on winning the SPL with Hearts after investing in the Edinburgh club. The English entrepreneur completed a £9.86million deal in June to secure a 29 per cent stake in the Jambos in non-voting shares. Bloom said: 'If we have not won the league title in the next 10 years, I will be very disappointed.' What's on today? Rangers are in action again as they host Czech side Viktoria Plzen in the first leg of a Champions League third qualifying round tie.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
For months, the rumours about Bulldogs star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan have grown from a whisper to a scream. As his ex speaks out, we reveal how the AFL's 'next big thing' faces the fight of his life
On a notorious football fan website, there are no less than 65 forum pages dedicated to the 'scandals and rumours' surrounding one JUH. That's Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, to those who don't follow Aussie Rules.
