Exorcising the excuses

MELBOURNE coach Simon Goodwin is refusing to offer excuses for his team’s belowpar start to the AFL season.

Ahead of tonight’s clash with fellow winless outfit Essendon, the Demons could throw up reasons like their wretched pre-season which included 12 surgeries.

But Goodwin said he wanted his players to be judged on the here and now, and not what happened over an injurymarred summer.

“What I want to do is put that to bed, as a coach and as a club – there is no more excuses for us as a club,” he said. “Start judging us on our performances and not on our pre-season.

“We’re ready to go – we’ve got a good 22 that’s going out there to play, so let’s judge us on our performances and stop the excuses.”

The Demons were rattled by an 80-point loss to Geelong last round but a win tonight can help restore confidence.