Garry Lyon “stunned, shocked” by Goodwin sacking

Melbourne legend Garry Lyon admits he is absolutely shocked by the club’s decision to sack Simon Goodwin.

The former Dees captain had no idea the call was about to be made and can’t quite get his head around the decision.

Goodwin was contracted until the end of 2026.

Lyon spoke of the news immediately after it broke.

“I’m stunned, shocked, totally shocked,” Lyon said on SEN Breakfast.

“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.”

Lyon felt the club might be better placed to sit on any major decision until the end of the season.

Regardless, he labelled Goodwin a “hero” for delivering the club a drought-breaking premiership in 2021 - their first flag in 57 years.

“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.”

The Demons take on the Western Bulldogs at the MCG on Sunday but Lyon cannot see Goodwin overseeing a farewell game.

“I’d be staggered if he coached on the weekend so he’s gone effective immediately,”

“He won’t coach next year. They’ll have to negotiate a payout with him.

“The first massive coaching story of the year has dropped.”

Does Lyon believe Goodwin deserved another 12 months at the helm?

“In my mind I would have thought that he would coach out his contract,”

“But this is the nature of footy and I’m not going to be hypocritical. If the football club determined in the end that he is not the right man going forward the make the decision.

“If they’ve arrived at this point now then you’ve got to make the call, whether you agree with it or not.

“It’s pretty swift and it’s pretty brutal, but that’s the game of footy - it’s a brutal business we’re in. One of Melbourne’s four only premiership coaches has been sacked.”

In Lyon’s eyes, the Demons should be considering all available options for their next senior coach, including untried and experienced coaches.

“I think you don’t go in with any preconceived notion of what that looks like,”

“You don’t want to exclude yourself from the likes of Craig McRae who had an immediate impact as a first-time coach.

“You don’t want to also exclude yourselves from premiership coaches or coaches who have had reasonably successful tenures.

“So just throw it open and see where it takes you.”