More support for Goodwin, Pert’s advice for Pearce
Melbourne president Kate Roffey has reaffirmed the club’s commitment to Simon Goodwin after the premiership coach faced allegations of workplace bullying.
Speaking at the club’s annual general meeting on Wednesday night, Roffey pointed out the vital role senior coach Goodwin played in ending the club’s 57-year premiership drought.
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin.Credit:Getty Images
But Roffey implored the entire club to continue to get better to give the Demons the best chance of winning a second premiership in two years, but this time at the club’s spiritual home, the MCG.
“We have to keep evolving. We have to keep moving forward. We have to keep challenging ourselves. We have to keep getting better. If we don’t do that, we won’t keep winning,” Roffey said.
“We need to keep improving at all levels. We know that.”
Melbourne also indicated their lack of surprise that top AFLW player Daisy Pearce was being courted by other clubs, and chief executive Gary Pert cautioned all to “not retire her too early” after The Age revealed that Pearce was being lured by Geelong to be an assistant coach for the men’s team working under Chris Scott.
“Daisy is going to have a lot of options regardless, she has for the last few years, she is a superstar player,” said Pert.
“We know that she would be a great coach, I think one of the best media performers. She’s going to have a lot of options. One thing about Daisy is that she loves the club, she loves the program that she is part of.
“I’m taking to Daisy on a regular basis, she keeps us up to date. If other clubs or other organisations weren’t chatting to her, they’re crazy.
“I hope people aren’t retiring her too early.”
When the bullying allegations surfaced against premiership Goodwin early last month, Roffey described him as an “inclusive leader who is loved by the players, coaches and staff”, while foreshadowing a contract extension for the coach.
She had impassioned words of support for the 45-year-old on Wednesday night as he enters his sixth season.
“They [the players] put it all on the line to win the games for this club. But they would be the first to say – and you hear them speaking in the media about this all the time – [that] they would not be holding up a premiership cup if it wasn’t for the coaching and support staff that are around them,” Roffey said.
Demons president Kate Roffey.Credit:Getty Images
“He’s the coach of the year, he’s the premiership coach but what is most important is that he is a genuinely good person. He’s a magnificent leader of this club and I say that as a leader of the whole club, not just our men’s program.
“I think all of you would agree more than anyone else ‘Goody’ has been a key driver of the team-first, club-first team culture that we see so strongly on and off the field.
“Our whole club is about caring for our people first.
“Knowing Simon well – his empathy, his genuine concern and care for the players – is something that makes Goody I think a stand out amongst head coaches.
“It’s the reason why players respond to him so well. It’s the reason why players go out and play their heart out for their head coach every single game. Because he cares about them as people first, players second, and that’s something that they respect.
“And I think it’s something that sets us apart from other clubs.
“On behalf of Simon, I would like to thank all of you out there who’ve been in touch with the club to provide some really positive feedback and support following some media coverage which I think we quite clearly pointed out in our club statement [last month] was both incorrect and misleading.
“I have specifically said to Simon on behalf I’m sure of everyone out there …. ‘Just keep doing what you’re doing, Goody, and I’m sure that if it means you bring us another AFL premiership flag in 2022 – back home here at the MCG’ … then we will all be very happy about that.”
In December the club announced a $2.1 million profit for 2021, thanks in part to increased merchandise sales leading into the grand final and after the flag was won and the loyalty of members and sponsors throughout another COVID-19 impacted season.
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