In today’s AFL briefing, your daily wrap of footy news:
- Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin on rule changes and contract hopes.
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‘No rush’ on star pair’s contract talks: Goodwin
Nell Geraets
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin hopes the Demons will retain in-demand duo Luke Jackson and Angus Brayshaw soon, but said there was “no rush” on contract talks.
Young ruckman Jackson had a stellar performance in the place of injured skipper Max Gawn as the Demons rebounded from their slump by thrashing the Brisbane Lions last week, and on Wednesday, Goodwin was happy to give Jackson the time needed.
Demons young gun Luke Jackson.Credit:Getty Images
Jackson’s contract runs out at the end of the year, and he faces a huge decision about whether to re-sign with the Demons, or return home to Western Australia with either Fremantle or West Coast.
“Luke’s an incredibly talented player and you watch how he plays, you can see how much joy and love he has for his club and his teammates,” Goodwin said.
“He’s played 50 games, he’s been the Rising Star, he’s pick three. I’m hopeful we can sort that [contract] out in the not too distant future. But these things take time.
“We just want Luke to be Luke. He’s a unique player, he plays the game a different way. He’s a disruptor around contest areas, he follows up at contest areas, and his aerial continues to improve.
Dees coach Simon Goodwin hopes to see Luke Jackson stay on with the Melbourne Football Club.Credit:Getty Images
“There’s no rush to get this answer out of Luke. He needs time to make his decision and we’ll give him the time he needs.”
It was a similar theme on the 26-year-old Brayshaw.
“He loves his footy club. He’s a free agent and this is how our industry works now. We’re really hopeful that one will progress really quickly and Gus will be a part of our footy club for a long time to come,” Goodwin said.
“He’s been a big part of our culture, driving our club forward. We want to make sure he’s here for the long haul.”
Angus Brayshaw celebrates the Demons’ big win with coach Simon Goodwin.Credit:AFL Photos
Goodwin said Tom McDonald was progressing well after a foot injury earlier this season. Goodwin said he was likely six or seven weeks away from returning to the field.
The coach also said it was “common sense” for the AFL to amend rules around the game’s protected zones, and hopes the changes will come into effect efficiently.
“I think it makes sense. When something makes sense, it’s something they should implement pretty quickly,” Goodwin said.
The AFL announced on Tuesday that umpires no longer need to pay a free kick against a player who has “split” from his opponent amid concerns that players were exploiting the 10-metre protected zone.
“People are going to try to manipulate the rules and get an advantage out of it. And if it doesn’t make the game better, then get rid of it. So, I think common sense has prevailed in this one,” Goodwin said.
Under the new laws, if the two players split, and the defender continues to move through and clear the protected area, the umpire will no longer pay a 50m penalty. This means players are no longer able to lure opponents into the protected zone when a teammate has taken a mark or been awarded a free kick and then run off.
Reflecting on his team’s prospects,
With hopes of Max Gawn’s return next week, the Demons are pushing for another win against Adelaide on Saturday. But Goodwin is not taking anything for granted, noting that no one strategy or line-up is foolproof.
“There’ll be a bit of experimentation over the next four, five weeks to really find what the best mix [of players] is, and obviously the best mix over certain opposition as well. So, we’ll continue to see what that looks like from a week-to-week perspective.”
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