Simon Goodwin ripped by Kane Cornes over Melbourne awards night comments
The Port Adelaide great took aim at Simon Goodwin and his comments about the Demons.
AFL great Kane Cornes has called out Simon Goodwin over his awards night speech with the Melbourne Demons coach making a pointed comment about team culture amid the Clayton Oliver drama. Last week, Oliver's transfer speculation dominated the AFL headlines with the 26-year-old linked to a move away from Melbourne.
Oliver has a seven-year deal with Melbourne and after days of speculation, the Demons confirmed the 26-year-old would be staying at the club. And later that day, Goodwin addressed the club at the end of season awards night.
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Goodwin delivered a pointed message about the team culture amid reports of 'erratic' behaviour from Oliver. “One thing that has enabled us to keep showing up is our culture,” Goodwin said.
“A culture that has been built over a period of time and is the piece that we will be uncompromising in maintaining and building further to achieve the ultimate success." However, the comments have not gone down well with everyone.
Speaking on SEN Radio, Cornes took a huge swipe at the message and questioned whether Melbourne is actually building a good team environment. “The word culture kept coming through. That’s off the back at the club announcing Clayton Oliver isn’t going anywhere, and that was clearly a pointed message from Goodwin in the direction of Oliver,” Cornes said.
“It is a stretch for the club to get up there and tell us they have a strong culture. Melbourne players, supporters and the media should see straight through that – Melbourne is a good team but they do not have a strong culture.”
Cornes questioned a number of reported off-field incidents that have occurred at the Demons throughout the last few years, which he claimed would have had players confused at Goodwin's comments. He also pointed out just because Melbourne finished in the top 4, doesn't mean they have a strong team culture.
“Since the 2021 premiership, Melbourne has had anything but a strong culture. Goodwin’s words on Friday were just that, words. And everyone, including Oliver and the rest of the players may have been scratching their head just what direction this club is going,” Cornes said in a brutal review.
“A lot of words coming from Melbourne, not a lot of actions ... they’re a good team, and teams do have success that don’t have a great culture. We saw West Coast win a premiership, do you think their culture was strong?" While Cornes was critical of the message, he also admitted the club could be using the situation as a turning point moving forward.
Clayton Oliver to remain at the Melbourne Demons
On Friday, Melbourne confirmed Oliver would be remaining at the club after the transfer saga. “I would like to address recent media speculation that the Melbourne Football Club is exploring a trade for Clayton Oliver,” Demons CEO Gary Pert said in the statement.
“Firstly, I would like to acknowledge that we understand the frustration among members and supporters when our players are discussed in the media as potential trade targets. At no stage has the club entered discussions with any club regarding a trade for Clayton. Furthermore, Clayton has not requested a trade and will remain at the Melbourne Football Club."
The statement was delivered after Sam Edmund's bombshell SEN report that the club: "Have made a series of demands to Oliver that include the need to treat club staff with respect, teammates with respect, prepare the way he should and to turn up to training in the proper condition."
"It can be revealed that Melbourne’s reluctance to squash the frenzied trade talk surrounding the 26-year-old is exclusively due to its exasperation with Oliver’s increasingly erratic behaviour."
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