Entering Saturday's AFL clash against Fremantle with a dismal 0-5 record, the Demons dramatically turned their fortunes around to hang on for a thrilling 10-point win at the MCG.
Following Carlton's two straight victories, Melbourne inherited the mantle of the team under the most pressure after four consecutive poor performances.
But the Demons started the match like it was the 2021 premiership-winning side, not the team that had recently been belted by North Melbourne, Gold Coast and Geelong.
Melbourne surged to 12.2 by halftime - equalling their highest score of the year, which came back in round one in a narrow defeat to GWS.
Captain Max Gawn put in a classic second half, backing up Kysaiah Pickett's all-day brilliance, to ensure Melbourne prevailed 16.11 (107) to 14.13 (97) in front of 25,202 fans.
"One thing I'm really strong with the players is just to block out noise, and don't let noise affect how you want to go about your job, or your commitment to your task," Goodwin said.
After missing finals last season and enduring a dreadful start to 2025, reports emerged this week about the Demons planning for a post-Goodwin era if results didn't turn around.
Luke Beveridge's name was even thrown as a possible replacement for Goodwin, although the Western Bulldogs premiership coach emphatically shut down that prospect.
"I feel incredibly well supported by the president (Brad Green) and the board about where I sit," Goodwin said.
"My job is to coach the club, coach the team and coach our players to be the best they possibly can and make sure we value what's really important.
"I don't listen to it (the speculation over his future).
"I'm committed to the Melbourne footy club, and am here to do the best possible job I can.
"I believe I've got the credentials and the standing in the game to best lead this footy club forward, so I don't worry about it."
The Demons' attacking tsunami slowed after the main break, as a game-high lead of 29 points was whittled back to six with seven minutes remaining.
Melbourne youngster Harvey Langford calmly snapped a settling goal, a minute after Fremantle star Shai Bolton made a mess of a long-range set shot that would have levelled the scores.
The Demons' premiership stars all raised their output, but it was Pickett who set the tone with an electrifying display against a club he could possibly be playing for next season.
Starting in the midfield, Pickett pushed forward with devastating impact to boot four first-half goals and finished with five.
When streaming in to slot his fifth goal, the pacy Pickett turned around and showed the ball to hapless Fremantle defender Josh Draper.
"What it highlighted today in the first three weeks is how much we missed him," Goodwin said of Pickett.
"He caused chaos ... we love what he brought to the team, not only with the ball, but his energy, his ability to tackle and pressure was to a really elite level."
Even with fellow key defenders Steven May and Jake Lever out injured, Harrison Petty played forward and slotted three goals before the main break and finished with four.
Bolton, who had just one possession in the first quarter, showed his class with three goals, including a goal of the year contender, to be Fremantle's most damaging player.
Experienced Dockers midfielder Jaeger O'Meara failed to take any part in the final quarter after suffering a suspected hamstring injury in the third term.
"I didn't think we were tough enough," a blunt Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir said.
"Felt like we didn't value the right things, didn't defend our front half the way we wanted to.
"They had over 70 points at halftime, that's not the team we want to be."
Melbourne face Richmond and West Coast - the AFL's two bottom teams - in the next two weeks, giving them an opportunity to build on the momentum of this victory.
Fremantle return home to Optus Stadium for an Anzac Day battle with Adelaide on Friday.
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