Max Gawn ‘Shocked’ by Simon Goodwin's Exit, Urges Coaching Hopefuls to Answer Demons' Call

Melbourne skipper Max Gawn has admitted he was stunned by the sacking of senior coach Simon Goodwin but is backing the club's bold call and encouraging potential replacements to consider the opportunity seriously.

Goodwin, who famously guided the Demons to their 2021 premiership, was dismissed on Tuesday despite having two years left on his contract, which was set to run through to the end of 2026. The club, currently sitting 12th on the AFL ladder, believes a change in leadership is needed to re-ignite its push towards September action.

Speaking on Triple M on Thursday, Gawn said the news caught him off guard but stopped short of criticising the decision.

“I was shocked, like most people. It came out of the blue," he said.

"But I'm not angry. I've always loved this football club, and while this is a tough one to accept, I support the decisions they make. I've had to move on from people I care about before, and the club has too. That's part of footy."

While fellow teammate Ed Langdon openly disagreed with the board's view that a new voice was needed, Gawn chose a more measured approach, acknowledging both the difficulty of the decision and the club's need to act decisively.

“Ed butchered that one yesterday,” Gawn said with a laugh. “Do we need a new voice? Maybe. After nine years, that can sometimes help.

“I still believed in what we were building, and I felt the current voice was working for me. But at 6-13, good clubs don't sit still. Change is scary - it is for me too - but sometimes it's necessary.”

Gawn said he respects those within the club who made the call, noting they had explained their reasoning to him in detail.

As speculation swirls around Goodwin's successor, several high-profile names have already been linked to the role, including Nathan Buckley, John Longmire, Adam Simpson, and Ken Hinkley.

For anyone considering taking the reins at Melbourne, Gawn had a simple message: "It's a call you should take."

Assistant coach Troy Chaplin will take over as interim coach for the remainder of the season, starting with this Sunday's clash against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG.