AS Melbourne prepare to travel to Adelaide Oval for a crucial clash against the Crows, Senior coach Simon Goodwin joined media on Friday to discuss the team’s preparation and focus heading into the Round 17 contest.

Starting strong a key focus

Melbourne’s slow start against Gold Coast last weekend was a key talking point, with Goodwin admitting the side didn’t bring the required intensity after the bye.

“It was a really disappointing start. Coming off a bye, we thought we prepared the group as well as we could in terms of getting ready for the contest and the intensity of the game - but clearly, we didn’t bring that to the game,” he said.

“We went away and had a look at it. It’s certainly something we need to rectify. As a club, you need to start games in the right fashion. We’ve seen throughout the whole year that how you start is a big indicator of how the game plays out.”

Facing an in-form Adelaide

The Demons will face a strong challenge this Sunday afternoon against Adelaide, with Goodwin acknowledging the Crows’ recent form.

“We know the team we’re coming up against is in unbelievable form. They’re playing a really high level of footy,” Goodwin said.

“Adelaide Oval is always a challenge, but it’s one we’re looking forward to. We’ve been on the road a little bit in the last month - this is our last travel - so it’s a chance to come together as one and put on a really strong performance.”

Sharper defence a priority

Restricting supply inside defensive 50 will be crucial against a dangerous Adelaide forward line.

“They’ve got a lot of talent ahead of the ball, and we feel the way we defend the ground has been a little inconsistent in recent times,” he said.
“We want to restrict the supply but also have a greater impact when the ball goes inside our defensive 50.”

 Young core developing

Goodwin spoke about the club’s emerging talent - including Harvey Langford, Xavier Lindsay and Koltyn Tholstrup - and how they’re being managed to ensure long-term development.

“When you get young players of Harvey’s talent come into the club, you’ve got to make sure you develop them the right way,” he said.

“What we’ve seen with Harvey, Xavier, Koltyn and others is that exposing them on the wing has been a great development tool. It’s helped them settle into AFL footy. They’ll eventually work their way into the midfield, but they’re growing their games each week.”

Development remains the priority

While finals remain a possibility, Goodwin reaffirmed the broader focus remains on building a team capable of contending long-term.

“The biggest thing for us is to be really clear on where we’re going and what we’re trying to achieve,” he said. “We’re not going to waste a day in terms of transitioning this team into a premiership team. Whether you play finals or not isn’t the point for us right now - it’s about growing our team into what we want to become.”

“We want to be a team that goes about winning premierships. That’s what we’re trying to do as a footy club.”