Essendon Football Club today appointed former Adelaide Premiership player and captain Simon Goodwin as an assistant coach.
General manager of football operations Paul Hamilton said Goodwin’s football knowledge and strong leadership skills will be of significant benefit to Essendon’s emerging playing group.
“Simon is a really exciting appointment. He is someone that we have had our eye on for a long time,” Hamilton said.
“He is a person who is widely regarded in the industry as having all the skills to become an excellent coach. I was fortunate enough to work with him and see first-hand his outstanding football knowledge and leadership skills.
“Despite being sought after by a number of clubs, Simon wanted to come to Essendon because he felt that he could have a big influence on the young group of players here at Essendon. The opportunity to work with James Hird was obviously another strong influence in his decision.
“We have got a lot of faith that Simon is a person of the highest quality and character. He is a great leader and Neil Craig has even referred to Simon as the greatest leader that Adelaide has ever had.
“It is a real coup for the club to be able to get Simon on board and his appointment is part of our plan to build the best possible coaching panel around James Hird.”
Goodwin played 275 games across 14 seasons with the Crows from 1997 – 2010 where he was renowned for his creativity, decision-making and penetration from half-back.
His player honours include three club Best and Fairest awards (2000, 2005, 2006); All-Australian (2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2009), and has played in two Premiership sides (1997, 1998).
