Melbourne Demons coach Simon Goodwin has revealed the unexpected influence his son Eddie had on the team’s drought-breaking 2021 premiership victory.
Goodwin, who has coached the Demons since 2017 and led them to their most recent flag, has recounted a pivotal conversation with his son during the 2021 season.
At the time, Melbourne had just come off a nine-point loss to GWS and had faced many questions about their forward line.
Goodwin, on the advice of his then 12-year-old son, decided to bring Ben Brown back into the team for the following game.
It was ultimately an excellent decision, with the Demons going on to win the premiership.
‘He was at an age when he was very rich in feedback,’ Goodwin said on Channel Seven’s Unfiltered.
Simon Goodwin (pictured with his wife Kristine and children Isabella, Maggie, Lilly and Eddie) has revealed the big influence his son had on the team’s 2021 premiership win
Melbourne Demons broke their 57-year premiership drought in 2021 with a historic win over the Western Bulldogs
‘I think one of the great things about coaching is you have this huge pressure of game day and you grab your bag as you walk out with your family and head to your car.
‘It was just Eddie and I after the Round 16 game at the MCG … the whole 16 weeks we’d been playing pretty good footy, but the one question I always got in every press conference was “how’s your forward mix?” it’s just been such a talking point for so long at Melbourne.
‘I remember (after the game) we hopped into the car and Eddie said “Dad, if you don’t play Ben Brown next week, we won’t make the eight”.
‘I’m thinking, “Geez we’ve got seven games to go and we’re sitting fourth or third, that’s going to be pretty hard”.
‘That was the feedback, that’s how strong he was.
‘Next week, I better do what Eddie said and put Ben Brown in and I think we won six of the next seven on the way home.’
Over the weekend, Goodwin copped criticism for drawing attention to an unspecified off-field problem star ruckman Max Gawn is going through after the Demons fell to a shock loss to the Kangaroos.
Asked about how Gawn had responded to losing the ruck duel – a rarity for him – Goodwin said there had been contributing factors off the field, with fans slamming him for raising the matter but not giving any details in an act they believe invites unfair speculation about the nature of the problem.
The Demons have had a winless start to the 2025 season
On Tuesday, Gawn cleared the air on the matter, revealing that a family member has been struggling with illness for some time.
Gawn also downplayed any suggestion that a rift had developed between him and Goodwin.
‘There’s no issue with me and Goody,’ Gawn told Triple M’s Mick in the Morning.
‘I can clearly see what he was trying to do – he was trying to show me love and support and I don’t mind. I spoke to that family member yesterday. They don’t mind. It’s fine.
‘I love that my coach loves me and it clearly shows that he cares. He’s 100 per cent right. There is reasons behind performance.
‘He is a father figure for me and he was showing love and showing care and I appreciate that.’
