Garry Lyon in disbelief over timing of Simon Goodwin axing as fans blast Melbourne for farewell move

Melbourne Demons great Garry Lyon has been left shocked at the timing of Simon Goodwin's axing with three games left to go in the season with suggestions the veteran is unlikely to coach a farewell game. On Tuesday morning it emerged the Melbourne Demons had sacked Goodwin following a convincing 83-point win over West Coast.

There were suggestions Goodwin would be let go if Melbourne lost to West Coast on the weekend. The demolition of the lowly Eagles seemed to quell the noise momentarily with a decision to be made at the end of the season.

Melbourne Demons great Garry Lyon (pictured middle) has been left shocked at the timing of Simon Goodwin's (pictured left) axing. (Images: Getty Images)

Although the win didn't save Goodwin from the axe with the timing of the move leaving supporters in shock. Goodwin coached Melbourne to their first premiership in 57 years years back in 2021 having taken over from Paul Roos.

But Goodwin had only managed to coach the Demons to seven wins in 2025 and performances across the last few years had prompted calls for change. And Lyon admitted he was struggling to get his head around the decision to pull the trigger with three games left to go.

Simon Goodwin (pictured left) helped deliver the first premiership to the Melbourne Demons in 57 years.

Speaking on SEN Radio as the news dropped, Lyon suggested there might not be a farewell game for Goodwin who deserved a send off having delivered the side their only premiership in recent times. “I’m stunned, shocked, totally shocked,” Lyon said on SEN Radio.

“I had no heads up on this whatsoever. Absolutely just shocked, I can’t get my head around it. He won’t be coaching a farewell game, that’s something I can promise you.” And fans have echoed Lyon's confusion to why the decision happened now.

Many feel the Demons had left the decision so late it was only right to let Goodwin see out the season and have a farewell. With little to play for, the fans could have got behind the coach with three games left if they let him ride out the season. Unfortunately, it appears Goodwin and Melbourne will go their separate ways immediately with the supporters most likely not given an opportunity to get behind their premiership-winning coach one last time.

Lyon felt the call came prematurely with Goodwin's stature as a premiership winner going to see him reach the end of the season. “I’m absolutely stunned. I thought there would be a long review at the end of this year and then determine whether he would coach out his final year,” he added.

“Premiership coaches are pretty rare at the Melbourne footy club. He’s one of four. He will be a hero of this football club forever and a day, but that obviously doesn’t guarantee your tenure. This is a massive call.”

Simon Goodwin (pictured) has been axed as the Melbourne Demons coach.

After Melbourne capitulated in round 20, Goodwin shut down outside noise and said he was fully committed to the job at hand. "I feel incredibly supported by the board, I have for nine years," Goodwin said last Thursday. "We've been able to go through these challenges before with clarity and strength and stability to create success."

Goodwin won the 2021 flag with one of the youngest teams of the modern era and started their 2022 title defence in solid form. However, Goodwin couldn't get past the early stages of the finals since the flag having exited in straight sets in 2022 and 2023. Last year, Melbourne finished in 14th and they currently sit in 12th and are out of finals contention.

The Demons hierarchy may have called time on Goodwin's season with three games to go in a bid to get ahead of their rivals in the search for a new head coach. There are suggestions a number of teams could be looking at change for the 2026 season and the Demons have made their move first.

Only last week, AFL great Matthew Lloyd claimed he didn't think a win against the Eagles would ease the pressure on Goodwin's tenure as coach. "I don't think so, no," Lloyd said when asked on Nine's Today Show. "Moreso if they lost that game, that could spell the end for Simon Goodwin you would think, if they were to lose to West Coast who have won one game for the season. They have been off for a couple of years now, there is something not quite right."

This article originally appeared on Yahoo Sport Australia at https://au.news.yahoo.com/garry-lyon-in-disbelief-over-timing-of-simon-goodwin-axing-as-fans-blast-melbourne-for-farewell-snub-004556875.html

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