Jump to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

Demonland

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

Goodwin: 'We were the worst side in the history of the game'

Featured Replies

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin says the Demons were the worst side in the history of the game in a speech to the club’s new recruits.

Goodwin this summer took the Demons’ latest batch of draftees and trade acquisitions to his Rye holiday house, where he looked to give them some historical perspective to set their focus.

Goodwin’s emotive speech is featured in the latest episode of Melbourne’s documentary series “To Hell and Back”, which airs on the Demons website on Sunday night.

“Before the period of 2013 we were probably the worst performing club in the history of the game,” Goodwin says.

“So (in) three years we won seven games (they won 10 between 2012-14). That’s probably when we were at rock bottom.”

Simon Goodwin tells new recruits the Demons were once the worst side in the history of the game

 

 

Not really the headline you want but will wait for the doco episode for proper context.

Couldn't get a priority pick though.

 
3 hours ago, Lord Nev said:

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin says the Demons were the worst side in the history of the game in a speech to the club’s new recruits.

Goodwin this summer took the Demons’ latest batch of draftees and trade acquisitions to his Rye holiday house, where he looked to give them some historical perspective to set their focus.

Goodwin’s emotive speech is featured in the latest episode of Melbourne’s documentary series “To Hell and Back”, which airs on the Demons website on Sunday night.

“Before the period of 2013 we were probably the worst performing club in the history of the game,” Goodwin says.

“So (in) three years we won seven games (they won 10 between 2012-14). That’s probably when we were at rock bottom.”

Simon Goodwin tells new recruits the Demons were once the worst side in the history of the game

 

Simon clearly doesn't know his history. University and St Kilda have had much worse periods.


Some of the sides we trotted out under Bailey and Neeld were so bad I used to wonder if they’d even beat a VFL team 

57 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Simon clearly doesn't know his history. University and St Kilda have had much worse periods.

Not really a valid comparison when those sides were mostly amateur and suburban in nature. When we were good we were mostly amateur and suburban. We were woefully bad when we were a club in the premier elite  professional competition with highly paid players, coaches and administrators.  If the quote is correct by Goodwin then it’s a relief to hear an offical acknowledgement of the obvious. Ostrichism has been a plague on this club for decades.

Edited by america de cali

41 minutes ago, america de cali said:

Not really a valid comparison when those sides were mostly amateur and suburban in nature. When we were good we were mostly amateur and suburban. We were woefully bad when we were a club in the premier elite  professional competition with highly paid players, coaches and administrators.  If the quote is correct by Goodwin then it’s a relief to hear an offical acknowledgement of the obvious. Ostrichism has been a plague on this club for decades.

Not my comparison. It was Goodwin's

I just pointed out he was wrong.

 
1 hour ago, jnrmac said:

Simon clearly doesn't know his history. University and St Kilda have had much worse periods.

Fitzroy?


Did he mention 2019?

That was pretty bad too, doubt it was mentioned though, as Simon was the Senior Coach that year :)

7 hours ago, sisso said:

Some of the sides we trotted out under Bailey and Neeld were so bad I used to wonder if they’d even beat a VFL team 

Matt Jones and Dean Terlich finished top 5 in our B&F - we were a vfl team!

Talk about trashing the brand.  Might be arguable but now it will be quoted back to us for years.  There's six mediocre teams and we're one of them 

I thought this thread was about last season. 

4 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

There's six mediocre teams and we're one of them

No point sugar-coating it, aside from the expansion teams and Essendon's VFL side, Melbourne under Neeld from 2012-2014 were the most comically inept team the AFL has seen in the last 20 years. And it's not even close. Christ we were bad.


23 minutes ago, Accepting Mediocrity said:

No point sugar-coating it, aside from the expansion teams and Essendon's VFL side, Melbourne under Neeld from 2012-2014 were the most comically inept team the AFL has seen in the last 20 years. And it's not even close. Christ we were bad.

Yes... I understand that but saying it in away designed to be publicised is just dumb (imo).

It is also disrespectful to the players of that era. (Even if it's true)

1 hour ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Yes... I understand that but saying it in away designed to be publicised is just dumb (imo).

It is also disrespectful to the players of that era. (Even if it's true)

Yep, Walk away.

 Goodwin wasn’t even there, none of his business to talk like that publicly, particuliarly after last year

Anyway he has done it....

Edited by Sir Why You Little

2 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Yep, Walk away.

 Goodwin wasn’t even there, none of his business to talk like that publicly, particuliarly after last year

Anyway he has done it....

Did he know that this would be in the Series?

You can't necessarily pick and choose if you want to show it warts and all.

Do you really think Nathan Jones and Tom Mac will organise a rebel meeting in protest?

Thry are so relieved that the Club has moved on and are mature enough NOW to cope with this ground breaking Series which as most people now admit is one of the best decisions and productions in our recent history.

Thats despite some petty talk about the title which was really "a little storm in a teacup" by some nit picking comments!

1 hour ago, 58er said:

Did he know that this would be in the Series?

You can't necessarily pick and choose if you want to show it warts and all.

Do you really think Nathan Jones and Tom Mac will organise a rebel meeting in protest?

Thry are so relieved that the Club has moved on and are mature enough NOW to cope with this ground breaking Series which as most people now admit is one of the best decisions and productions in our recent history.

Thats despite some petty talk about the title which was really "a little storm in a teacup" by some nit picking comments!

I still don’t like the Title

But the content has been good

We were not too good in the late 70s either. I remember the battles for the spoon down at Moorabin.


11 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Yep, Walk away.

 Goodwin wasn’t even there, none of his business to talk like that publicly, particuliarly after last year

Anyway he has done it....

I agree totally SWYL

Shouldn't be throwing others under the bus when under his reign we were clearly one of the worst teams in the comp last season.

I hope for his sake that we have a much improved year.

This article is a bit click baity for mine.
The entire bit on worst performed side went maybe for 10 seconds in a 17 minute video.

If he read out the entire Fisted Forever files (being facetious on this point) or individualized blame on people for that period, I'd agree that this wasn't the way to go. 

The truth is the overall message to the kids there is that you can play if you get your habits right. There is no rule to say that 18 year olds can't get a game even if they are up to it.

29 minutes ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

This article is a bit click baity for mine.
The entire bit on worst performed side went maybe for 10 seconds in a 17 minute video.

If he read out the entire Fisted Forever files (being facetious on this point) or individualized blame on people for that period, I'd agree that this wasn't the way to go. 

The truth is the overall message to the kids there is that you can play if you get your habits right. There is no rule to say that 18 year olds can't get a game even if they are up to it.

Humphrey B Flaubert........also know as DC Root  ?

 
7 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

Humphrey B Flaubert........also know as DC Root  ?

I've been on this board for nearly 10 years, and it's taken you this long to bring this up Daisy? You are slipping old sport!

Edited by Colin B. Flaubert
I've been on here for longer than that!

4 minutes ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

I've been on this board for nearly 10 years, and it's taken you this long to bring this up Daisy? You are slipping old sport!

funny that. i posted it to your other post on the max gawn is captain thread. don't know how it ended up in this thread?


Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

Featured Content

  • AFLW PREVIEW: Adelaide

    Noffy, Hatchy and Randy lead Adelaide’s finals-hardened flock to IKON Park for a blockbuster semi-final against Kate Hore and Hanksy’s mighty Demons.  Adelaide has dropped four of its past five matches at this ground — let’s hope that trend holds.  But don’t expect charity — Doc Clarke brings an experienced, battle-worthy murder of Crows.

    • 0 replies
  • 2026 AFL Fixture

    The Demons 2026 AFL Fixture is as good as can be expected considering their performances and finishes the past two seasons. Sunday games and late afternoon starts are on the menu with only 1 Friday night fixture until Round 15. They will travel 8 times including their home game in the Alice, their Gather Round game as well as a match against the Hawks in Tasmania. They will face, the Bombers, Bulldogs, the Suns, the Tigers, the Hawks and the Dockers twice.

      • Clap
      • Haha
      • Like
    • 284 replies
  • TRAINING: Wednesday 12th November 2025

    A couple of Demonland Trackwatchers ventured down to Gosch's paddock to give you their brief observations on the second day of preseason training in the lead up to the 2026 Premiership Season.

    • 1 reply
  • TRAINING: Monday 10th November 2025

    Several Demonland Trackwatchers were on hand at Gosch’s Paddock to share their observations from the opening day of preseason training, featuring the club’s 1st to 4th year players along with a few veterans and some fresh faces.

    • 1 reply
  • AFLW REPORT: Brisbane

    Melbourne returned to its city citadel, IKON Park, boasting a 10–2 home record and celebrating its 100th AFLW matchwith 3,711 fans creating a finals atmosphere. But in a repeat of Round 11, Brisbane proved too strong, too fit, and too relentless.  They brought their kicking boots: 9 goals, 2 points.

    • 0 replies
  • AFLW PREVIEW: Brisbane

    Forget the haunting of Round 11 — we’ve got this. Melbourne returns to its inner-city fortress for its milestone 100th AFLW match, carrying a formidable 10–2 record at IKON Stadium. Brisbane’s record at the venue is more balanced: 4 wins, 4 losses and a draw. 

      • Love
      • Like
    • 11 replies

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.