AFL 2025: Melbourne winger Ed Langdon says players shocked by Simon Goodwin axing

Premiership winning Melbourne winger Ed Langdon says he’s not sure the players needed a “new voice” as they continue to come to terms with the axing of Simon Goodwin.

Players were informed of their coach’s dismissal via a Zoom call early on Tuesday morning.

The 2021 premiership coach was axed late on Monday night after 11 years at the helm and a most recent win as large as 83 points.

The news of Goodwin’s departure broke on Tuesday morning, with some Demons finding out through the media ahead of being told by the club.

Langdon, who will play his 200th game this Sunday against Western Bulldogs, was one of the senior players who was informed in a video call.

“It was obviously a big day yesterday, we were told in the morning in a Zoom call. We managed to get around to most of the other players as well before that dropped,” he said.

“It was a big emotional day, of course (it felt different on Wednesday morning), we’ve got a different coach coaching this week and we all loved Goody, he was a big part of the club.

“(I was) definitely shocked, it’s not the news I thought I would be waking up to. As I said, we are all very close to Goody, won a premiership with him.”

Langdon has played 131 games for the Demons, all under the guidance of Goodwin, since crossing from Fremantle.

In announcing Goodwin’s departure, Demons interim president Brad Green said the club needed a “new voice” to take the club forward, which wasn’t the overriding feeling among the players, including Langdon.

“I’m not sure I would agree with that, but that’s the board’s decision,” Langdon said.

“I can only comment on the players’ relationship with Goody, which was always positive. We always respected him and loved him as a coach.

“If that’s what the board thinks, then that’s what the board thinks.

“All I’ll touch on is how much I love Goody and how much respect I have for him.

“He’s been pretty influential in my career. I’ve only got good things to say about Goody and what he achieved and what he did for this football club.”

With premiership-winning coaches including John Longmire and Adam Simpson linked to the job, Langdon was reluctant to talk about who could be a good fit.

Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said on Wednesday he’d take a call if Melbourne approached him.

Long-serving assistant coach Troy Chaplin will steer the Demons for their final three games of the 2025 season.

“The board is going to go through that process (of finding a new coach), the next three weeks we’ve got Troy Chaplin, he’s been around for a long time, he’s an experienced assistant coach,” Langdon said.

“(Chaplin is) again pretty close to the players, so looking forward to the next three weeks and what we can achieve.”