Melbourne Demons, Simon Goodwin, support, document leak, behavioural issues, workplace bullying
Melbourne Demons CEO Gary Pert has called the leaking of confidential documents around coach Simon Goodwin, “pretty disgraceful”.
Last month, staggering board documents published by the Herald Sun disclosed how the club considered standing down Goodwin prior to their 2021 premiership campaign due to allegations of behavioural issues and workplace bullying.
Pert told Sportsday the nature of the leak said more about the character of the circulator than Goodwin.
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“It’s unfortunate. No club or coach would expect board documents to be leaked on the front page of the Herald Sun for multiple days, that’s pretty disgraceful that that would happen,” Pert said.
“Anyone that leaks things that are misinformation, untrue, they’re out of context … you do that leaking because you don’t want to be held accountable for what you’re putting out there.
“That certainly goes to the character of the people doing it rather than the people they’re leaking things about.”
Pert also spoke of how the scandal provided a unique opportunity for Goodwin to see the endearment the football community holds for him.
“I think for Goody, what he’s seen, he’s probably never experienced a rallying of love and support by the club and the players, and the board and the footy industry like he’s received in this time,” Pert added.
“He’s a growing and evolving leader and done a lot of work on developing himself, he’s such a great ambassador for the club.”
The comments come after Melbourne President Kate Roffey backed Goodwin’s coaching nature at the club’s annual general meeting on Wednesday night.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
Roffey also thanked those who provided a defence for Goodwin in the aftermath of the document leak.
“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.”
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