Melbourne Demons coach Simon Goodwin has been sacked.
Players are expected to be told on Tuesday morning.
Goodwin, 48, was informed on Monday night he would no longer be required.
READ MORE: Cricket stunned by one of the greatest Test series finishes
READ MORE: Panthers, trainer whacked by NRL over dodgy act
READ MORE: Kingpin who married a royal turning rugby codes upside down
He was contracted for 2026, but the club believes it needs to make changes across the football department, with his assistants also in the gun.
Demons icon Garry Lyon could not believe the news when he heard it live on SEN radio on Monday morning.
Simon Goodwin. Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images
“I’m stunned. Totally shocked. I had no heads up whatsoever,” Lyon said.
“He won’t be coaching a farewell game, that I can promise you.
“I thought that there would be a long review at the end of the year.
“Premiership coaches are pretty rare at Melbourne. He will be a hero of this club forever and a day but that doesn’t guarantee your tenure.
“This is a massive call.”
Clayton Oliver and Simon Goodwin. Dylan Burns via Getty Images
Lyon and former AFL player Josh Jenkins both questioned who made the call to sack Goodwin given the club only has an interim CEO currently.
Brad Green and the rest of the board are believed to have made the decision before the incoming CEO takes office.
Goodwin played 275 AFL games for Adelaide from 1997 to 2010.
He landed the head coaching role at Melbourne in 2017 and led the Demons to a breakthrough premiership in 2021.
But it’s been a turbulent few years since, with recurring reports of poor behaviour by Goodwin himself, and disharmony in the playing group under him.
Superstar midfielders Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca both tried to quit the club last year but were blocked from leaving.
Melbourne sits 12th on the AFL ladder and will miss finals for a second consecutive season.
