The Melbourne football club is at a crossroads, and its leaders are urging the team to take a hard look in the mirror and learn from the past three seasons. At the club’s recent awards ceremony, Coach Simon Goodwin, Captain Max Gawn, and President Brad Green used their speeches to rally the troops and set a new course for success.
Since their championship win in 2021, the team has struggled, falling out of the top eight this season amidst off-field distractions. There were even rumors about star player Clayton Oliver’s future with the club, but Green put those to rest, confirming that Oliver will remain with the team. Another key player, Christian Petracca, also considered leaving but ultimately decided to stay, although he missed the awards ceremony due to a training trip abroad as he recovers from a season-ending injury.
The evening was also marked by an emotional speech from Angus Brayshaw, who was forced to retire due to concussion issues before the season started. Gawn, who finished second in the team’s best-and-fairest voting, spoke about the motivation he draws from his championship ring, reminding him of the hard work and dedication required to achieve greatness.
Gawn reflected on the team’s journey from 2017, when Goodwin became coach, to their championship win, noting that the path to success is rarely easy. “Premierships are so hard,” he said. “And this ring reminds me… the journey’s the fun bit.” He encouraged his teammates to focus on the present and the process of improvement, rather than getting caught up in the ultimate goal of another championship.
Goodwin echoed Gawn’s sentiments, emphasizing the importance of finding joy and fulfillment in the hard work and dedication required to succeed. He pointed to the example of Oscar McInerney, the injured Brisbane ruckman who celebrated his team’s championship win with infectious enthusiasm. “Oscar’s reaction on the final siren tells us all we need to know about Brisbane, and what the outcome looks like when you commit fully and find joy in putting the team ahead of yourself,” Goodwin said.
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