MELBOURNE has parted ways with premiership coach Simon Goodwin.

Goodwin, who was under contract with the Demons for 2026 after signing a two-year extension at this time last year, was told of the club’s decision earlier this week after board meetings in recent days.

Long-serving assistant coach Troy Chaplin will coach the side in its remaining matches against the Western Bulldogs, Hawthorn and Collingwood.

In a rare move, Goodwin fronted the media at the MCG alongside club president Brad Green on Tuesday afternoon, where the outgoing coach expressed his disappointment at the board’s decision.

“I was disappointed. There’s no doubt about that, but I certainly respect the board’s decision. That’s their right to make that decision,” Goodwin said.

“But I’m disappointed because I think we’re a hell of a lot closer to turning our club and team into a contender than people think.

“I’m disappointed that I’m not able to work with this great bunch of players that I know that we’ve developed and spent a lot of time developing over time.”

Green said the board decided on Monday night that Goodwin would not coach the Demons in 2026, and he called the coach immediately after the meeting to tell him.

“Out of respect for Simon and his family, I got straight on the phone to him. It’s not easy once we’ve made that decision, but I said, ‘Mate, the board has come to a decision, I think I need to come over and have a chat’,” he said.

“This has been a process. It wasn’t made within a couple of days. This has been a process we’ve gone through with consultation with some key football people in our program that has been going on for four or five weeks.

“I think for our program to go forward, once you make that decision with three games to go, we’re looking forward to the future.

“This is not about Simon’s coaching career. Simon can coach. Simon’s got the energy and the fight. We just believe the group was looking for a new voice and a new leader to take this group forward.”

Green said Melbourne had not been in contact with any prospective coaching contenders. The experienced candidates include premiership coaches John Longmire (Sydney) and Adam Simpson (West Coast), former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley, and outgoing Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley.

Goodwin, 48, led Melbourne to a historic premiership in 2021, but the club lost all four of its finals matches in 2022 and 2023 before missing September altogether in 2024.

The Demons are currently out of finals contention this year, having dropped to 7-13. Melbourne beat West Coast by 83 points last weekend, but the club’s dismal on-field fortunes had been reflected a week earlier when the side dropped a 46-point lead at three-quarter time to lose to lowly St Kilda.

In a letter sent to members on Tuesday morning, Green said Goodwin would always be celebrated as a Melbourne hero for leading the club to its historic 2021 premiership win over the Western Bulldogs.

“While we have made the decision to part ways with Simon, that should not dampen the extraordinary legacy he leaves behind,” Green said.

“Simon leaves our club as one of only four coaches in the club’s history to take our AFL program to a premiership and sits behind only Norm Smith, Frank Hughes and Neale Daniher, for games coached at the Dees – a legacy he should be incredibly proud of.”

Melbourne has been rocked in recent years by a series of the club’s biggest stars looking to depart the club, headlined last year by Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver expressing a desire to seek a fresh start before being held to their long-term contracts.

Green acknowledged that Goodwin’s departure would have an effect on the players, including Petracca and Oliver who are contracted until 2029 and 2030, respectively.

“I spoke to the playing group, you know, half an hour to an hour ago. They’re obviously disappointed,” he said.

“I’ve been in their position. I was a player. It’s tough. They would be hurting.

“Simon’s a premiership coach. He’s a terrific person. They’ve got the utmost respect for their senior coach and a premiership coach of theirs.

“He’s got great friendships and he’ll continue with those friendships, I’m assuming, and I know the character that he is. But they’ll be hurting. I was when I lost a senior coach and I know how they’re feeling.”

Goodwin said the day-to-day relationships with the players was be the part of the job that he would miss the most.

“I’ve got some amazing relationships with some guys I’ve coached for an incredibly long time, and it’s not’s not just seeing them grow as players, but seeing them grow as people,” he said.

“I’m going to miss giving George Gawn (Max’s son) a bag of lollies after every win we have.

“I’m going to miss seeing ‘Melky’ (Jake Melksham), I’ve coached him since he was 17. Tommy Mac (McDonald), I’m going to miss the people, first and foremost.

“Probably what I won’t miss is driving down to Casey.”

Premiership captain Gawn has been one of Goodwin’s closest allies during his tenure, and Goodwin revealed he had spoken with his club’s on-field leader at length.

“I’ve had an enormous amount of messages and phone calls. I spoke to Gawny laying in bed … at 7.30 this morning,” he said.

“Gawny rang, and we had a really long chat about the journey, about his sadness for me not being here and being a part of it, and obviously there’s a lot of sadness for me as well.

“But we’ll sit down and have a coffee, have a beer and relax, and really debrief what’s been an incredible nine years.”

Goodwin took over the side in 2017, spending nearly nine years in charge of the club and guiding the Demons to a 106-85-1 overall record, including finals campaigns in 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Goodwin remained defiant until the end, saying he wouldn’t be “consumed by the noise” that followed the round-20 capitulation against the Saints.

“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.”