With the AFL's latest sacking, coaches are facing more and more scrutiny

When Simon Goodwin sat down for his press conference just hours after being sacked, he had already started to strip the Demons from his identity.

He wore no tie around his neck, and a few shirt buttons were undone, as if the choking pressure of coaching had been released.

Next to him sat Melbourne President Brad Green, whose red and blue tie was firmly fastened.

And together they went through a gruelling ritual few other employers make their axed leaders go through — trying to explain it all to the media.

"I was disappointed, there's no doubt about that, but I certainly respect the board's decision," Goodwin said, having been toppled with three weeks left in the season and another year left on his contract.

It's a brutal, public spectacle — and may not be the last time we see it play out this year as clubs grapple with the full results of a season.

"You're under pressure every day of the year regardless of who you coach," said 700-game and three-time premiership winning coach Mick Malthouse, who was sacked by Carlton in 2015.

"If you take a job on like this you know that your time is limited and that it's going to get you at some stage.

"There are only four of five coaches … probably four, who don't have to look behind their back this year."

Growing expectations, demands on coaches

Two days after Goodwin's sacking from Melbourne, Carlton moved to "confirm with absolute clarity" that Michael Voss will remain coach into 2026, such was the fervour surrounding his position during a tumultuous season for the Blues.

Voss faces a level of scrutiny from fans and the media that's almost unique to the biggest clubs in the league.

"It sort of feels a little bit of hollow joy in some ways," Voss said the following morning.

"There’s no contentment in how we’ve found ourselves here, and probably how it’s played out, or feeling like there’s a contentment in being able to get that reassurance that you get to see out your contract," he said.

Carlton coach Michael Voss has been under pressure after a disappointing 2025. (AAP: Joel Carrett)

"I think where the theatre is on the outside is very different to what’s happening on the inside, and I reckon one of the key things as a coach is that when you come into this role is you’ve got to understand and be content that there’s an end at some point in time."

But as the season draws to a close, many other boards will be examining if they've got the right leader in charge — and that makes this time of year "challenging" for coaches according to AFL Coaches Association CEO Alistair Nicholson.

"It's probably where we find we have the most individual discussions with our members and help them through this and give them the support they need," he said.

"As the footy public become more and more versed in how they consume football and their expectations and demands, you can certainly see [the pressure] in the last few years, it's continued to increase.

"The breadth of the role is so much more than what it once was that they're effectively managers more so than coaches.

"So, rather than just the on-field, there's all of the support in the promotion of the club, there's list retention, list attraction of players, so it's a significantly more complex role.

"And it's constant, there's not really an off-season, and then you also overlay the intangibles that you get in elite sport — with injuries to players, there might be some instability in a club, there's media pressures."

Abuse directed at coaches 'abhorrent'

The AFL has increased game-day security for several coaches in recent weeks after Goodwin and Voss were threatened on social media.

"It's abhorrent abuse that's directed at coaches when the team is not going well," said Susan McLean, a cyber safety consultant who has worked with the AFL.

" We know people are passionate about football, but there is a very big difference between some argy-bargy online that's not targeted abuse and direct targets of threat to harm. "

McLean believes a lot of abuse continues to go unreported, and when it is raised with the AFL there is little it can do to punish those responsible, arguing that coaches and the league need to be prepared to take matters further.

"One of the reasons we have laws is not only to set an acceptable standard of behaviour in society, but it is to provide a deterrent so when people see people being charged for committing this crime then they're deterred from doing it themselves," she said.

"And in my mind, we're not seeing that because there's no runs on the board when it comes to prosecutions for online abuse in the AFL."

Coaches' families most affected: Malthouse

Near the end of Goodwin's press conference, he thanked his supporters and his family.

"They've been incredible. They ride every bump with you," he said.

Mick Malthouse speaks to Dane Swan during his time as Collingwood coach. (Getty Images: Ryan Pierse)

It is often a coach's family who are the most impacted by the public 'noise' and online attacks that come their loved one's way, said Malthouse.

"That sort of stuff, I didn't take any notice of, I wasn't on social media.

"It's more your kids and your wife that will be the victims of all that and they'll cop it all the time.

"That's just a fact of life; they will cop it.

"The majority of the time they bear it, but it does have an effect."

Asked if it's the toughest job in Melbourne to lead an underperforming team, Malthouse replied, "that or the Liberal leader".

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