Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin has been hailed a hero after he was credited with saving a man’s life while on holiday in Bali.
It has been reported that Goodwin was surfing at the Mahana Point Cliff in Indonesia, a popular area for cliff diving on the small island of Nusa Ceningan.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Melbourne captain Max Gawn addresses the Demons’ culture.
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Goodwin – a former assistant at Essendon and star player for Adelaide in the late 90s and 2000s – was with Bombers 1993 premiership favourite Ricky Olarenshaw.
“While he was saving lives, I was catching waves,’’ Olarenshaw told News Corp.
The incident happened when the young man jumped off a cliff and crashed awkwardly into the water, dislocating his shoulder.
Simon Goodwin (left) in Bali with Xavier Campbell and Ricky Olarenshaw. Credit: Instagram
Goodwin was surfing with Olarenshaw when he heard the young man screaming.
Then, Melbourne’s 2021 premiership coach sprung into action.
He paddled over to the injured man and managed to get him on his surfboard.
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“The father (of the injured man) jumped in the water to help his son, and recognised ‘Goody’ and started talking footy,” Olarenshaw revealed.
“Goody’s response was let’s save his son first, then chat about footy later.”
Goodwin then managed to stop a jet ski and they transferred the injured man from the surfboard onto the safety of the jet ski.
The man was then taken out of the dangerous surfing area and was able to get assistance.
Olarenshaw then joked: “Goody showed a lot less bravery when the sea snake came across his path.”
Olarenshaw and Goodwin have been enjoying their time together in Bali. Credit: Instagram
It has been a dramatic off-season for Melbourne, who have been engulfed by controversy since bowing out of the finals race in straight sets.
That controversy forced club captain Max Gawn to come out and defend the club’s culture two days ago.
Part of the drama has centred on troubled superstar, Clayton Oliver.
Oliver has had his professionalism questioned throughout the year, and has been the subject of concerning reports around his behaviour. He also had a short stint in hospital this month following a seizure.
Teammate Joel Smith, 27, also created unwanted headlines last week after he was provisionally suspended as the result of a positive drug test. Smith, 27, now faces a lengthy ban.
“There has been some stuff over the last few weeks but I feel like this happens at most clubs,” Gawn told Channel 7.
“There’s adversity here, adversity there. Obviously our adversity has all come at once.”
Gawn also said he was “in pretty good dialogue” with Oliver who had been been staying at his house “for a while”.
“So I think Clayton is going really well,” Gawn said.
“I understand the noise that is coming about Clayton could really bring someone down, but I feel like the support that he’s got around him will help him get through it.”
Goodwin also delivered a pointed message to his players about professional standards at the club’s best-and-fairest event this month.
The coach backed the club’s culture, and Gawn echoed those thoughts.
“I’m certainly very bullish on the culture we’ve built over the last three or four years, that it can withstand adversity like this, and we’re able to get in the top four again like we have in the last three years,” Gawn said.
– With AAP
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