Now the Demons' premiership-winning mentor is out to do it all over again.
"This is the time in your transition and part of your process that you love the most," Goodwin said ahead of his 200th game as coach, against North Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.
"(It's) when you're trying to build something unique and something special.
"That's what I love about coaching - the challenge of building something pretty special."
Goodwin, who coached Essendon for one game in 2013, led Melbourne to their drought-breaking 2021 flag and boasts a 54.8 per cent winning record.
But the Demons will miss finals for a second straight season this year and are on a five-match losing streak ahead of the North Melbourne encounter.
They would slip into the bottom four with another loss to the Kangaroos, who embarrassed them in a 59-point hiding in round two.
"Clearly they're a much-improved team over the whole season," Goodwin said.
"They're putting themselves in winning positions and they've got a lot of depth and talent.
"We're under no illusions about the type of team we're coming up against.
"They played outstanding footy against us earlier in the season and we learnt a lot."
Goodwin dismissed fitness concerns over sore stars Max Gawn and Jake Lever, while Caleb Windsor replaces Harry Sharp (omitted).
North have lost spearhead Nick Larkey and Luke Davies-Uniacke to injuries and Zane Duursma has been dropped.
But coach Alastair Clarkson will welcome back Luke Parker, Jack Darling and Charlie Comben.
Goodwin's milestone game comes as Melbourne mourn the loss of club great Brian Dixon, a five-time premiership player and former Victorian politician, who died aged 89 on Wednesday.
"It's a very sad time and our condolences go out to the Dixon family," Goodwin said.
"He's such an enormous figure at the Melbourne footy club ... there's no doubt as a playing group we'll certainly honour the Dixon family as best we can on the weekend."
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