Brendon Goddard has been Superman and the Grinch rolled into one during his AFL career, writes Jon Anderson

NEVER has a player polarised fans and teammates more than Brendon Goddard. Sometimes he was Superman, dominating on the game’s biggest stage. Other times he was the Grinch. Who is the real Goddard though?

Brendon Goddard will play his final game for the Bombers on Friday. Picture: Michael Klein

NEVER has a player polarised fans and teammates more than Brendon Goddard, who may be about to play his 331st and last game on Friday night at Adelaide Oval.

He has been Superman and the Grinch rolled into one, an extreme talent whose football highs have at times been overshadowed by a perfectionist nature that plays out in the most public manner.

His Superman cloak was evident for all to see in the most glorious fashion when, playing for St Kilda, he made the two Grand Finals of 2010 virtually his own.

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He bobbed up all over the ground, including a mark and goal in the drawn game that rank with the best.

Was there a better player in the competition at that time, given his athletic 193cm frame was matched by rare football acumen and disposal?

Then move forward to the Grinch-like whinger who was at it again last Friday night against Richmond.

Brendon Goddard will play his final game for the Bombers on Friday. Picture: AAP Images

He demonstratively expressed his frustrations towards Michael Hurley as they walked from the ground, despite an obviously restricted Goddard being close to a liability as he struggled to meet the game’s demands.

Sadly, the most recent image is what many of us will be left with when remembering a player who is largely popular with his teammates at Essendon and ex-teammates from St Kilda.

Part of his problem has been the role he plays, which at times has been the spare across half-back, or the “cheating seat” as it’s sometimes called.

But if you read the game better than most, you are well suited to that role — as Goddard has been in recent times.

Paul Chapman, an Essendon teammate of Goddard’s in 2014-2015, wrote in 2016 that Goddard “wouldn’t have lasted a minute at Geelong” in its glory years between 2007-2011.

But in the same chapter Chapman admitted off the field Goddard was loved as a bloke during the pair’s time with the Bombers.

Brendon Goddard is looking to play on next season. Picture: Getty Images

And then on Tuesday another former Essendon teammate, Ben Howlett, tweeted that there was “no one more passionate and professional than Brendon Goddard … teams would be stupid not to pick him up, great teacher/mentor”.

So this is a figure who may be very different to the one many of us believe we know.

But the finger-pointing can’t be a help in a potential search for a third AFL home.

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Originally published as Brendon Goddard has been Superman and the Grinch rolled into one during his AFL career, writes Jon Anderson