Goodwin 'running out of time' at winless Dees, says Cornes

Kane Cornes believes Simon Goodwin has a matter of weeks to turn things around at the winless Demons

Simon Goodwin looks dejected after Melbourne's loss to Essendon in round five, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

MELBOURNE coach Simon Goodwin is running out of time to turn things around for the winless Dees, warns Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes.

In First Up with Kane Cornes on AFL.com.au on Sunday night, Cornes said Goodwin had a month to fix Melbourne's gameplan issues, after the Dees were handed a 0-5 start for the first time in 13 years following Saturday night's loss to Essendon.

Melbourne has spent the last few rounds in a disappointing 17th on the ladder but will be looking for improvement when it faces fellow bottom four sides Richmond and West Coast in two of its next three games.

"I gave [Goodwin] six weeks to show some improvement in the gameplan two weeks ago and the last two weeks couldn't have been worse," Cornes said on First Up.

"I think he's got probably a month left to show some significant improvement in fixing the gameplan issues that are there, and that have been there for so long."

Cornes also slammed Melbourne's pre-season messaging, criticising the club's inability to translate it onto the field.

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"What a storyline this is building up to be," Cornes said.

"I think the biggest (story) in the game after their pre-season talk about love and connection and all that rubbish, to what we're seeing on the field – which is none of that and the complete opposite.

"[Saturday night] was a really confronting performance."

Despite concerns, Goodwin was unwavering in his confidence to see Melbourne through to the other side of its losing streak.

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"I said this during the week, we've had a lot of challenges through my time at the footy club," Goodwin said at his post-match news conference after the loss to the Bombers.

"I've been pretty well serviced to see the club through that, and I feel pretty well credentialed to do that, and we're in a challenging spot right now, and we acknowledge that."

While Cornes also acknowledges that Melbourne may still make changes to rise out of the bottom four, he said Goodwin was running out of time to improve the Dees' weakening gameplan.

"[Goodwin says] he feels like he's confident that he can do the job, but he hasn't shown that to be the case," Cornes said.

Max Gawn and teammates look dejected after Melbourne's loss to Essendon in round five, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

"From the (2021) premiership win, and how their gameplan has really evaporated from them … now they're losing contests, and they cannot move the football, and they cannot score."

After kicking just two goals during the first half of Saturday night's game, Melbourne produced a stronger third-quarter performance, before finishing with another single goal quarter in the final term.

“They're getting enough entries which is, I guess, one positive, but they can't score from those so [Goodwin's] at a loss as to how to fix this," Cornes said.

"He's definitely running out of time."

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