Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
“Sneaky”: The text message Goodwin sent Daniher
Andrew Slevison • July 24th, 2025 9:11 am
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin sent Joe Daniher a “cheeky” and “sneaky” text message just to make sure he was happy in retirement.
It was reported earlier in the week that retired Brisbane premiership star had emerged on the radar of the Demons who are in the market for a key forward.
Goodwin spent a couple of years with Daniher at Essendon in the early days of their respective coaching and playing careers, and just wanted to see where his head was at.
The premiership coach admits he flicked a text Joe’s way, but the 31-year-old was quick to reveal that he is happily retired after calling time on his career in the wake of last year’s Grand Final triumph.
“I might have sent him a cheeky text message just to check in with big Joe,” Goodwin said on Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
“I obviously coached Joe at Essendon in my early days as a coach and sent him a message just to make sure he was enjoying retirement as much as I thought he would.
“The answer was pretty clear - he is enjoying it. It (the pursuit) was pretty short-lived.”
Goodwin did make it clear that the Dees will do everything in their power to improve their playing list this off-season.
“But we’re going to leave no stone unturned in how we get better,” he added.
“Whether that be through the draft, through trade, through developing our players on our current list in terms of how we look and how we play.
“So we’re going to leave no stone unturned in how we go about getting better and Joe was a sneaky text but he laughed it off pretty quick.”
Melbourne’s leading goal kicker so far in 2025 - despite increased midfield minutes - is Kysaiah Pickett with 35, ahead of veteran (and Daniher’s old Dons teammate) Jake Melksham on 26 and five-time lead goal kicker Bayley Fritsch on 24.
No player above 190cm has kicked more than 12 goals this season suggesting the Dees do need a top quality key forward.
The Demons currently occupy 13th spot on the ladder with a 6-12 record ahead of Sunday’s clash with 15th-placed St Kilda at Marvel Stadium.
