The Tackle: Chris Judd has enough to play on while Lenny Hayes leaving in hot form

SLOGANS aside, super Blue Chris Judd has enough left in the tank to play on, writes Mark Robinson.

Lenny Hayes and Chris Judd go head to head. Picture: Michael Klein

THE finality of Lenny HayesÂ’ glorious career was for all to see at Etihad Stadium.

The Lenny-fest was a winner for the fans of St Kilda and for fans of footy in general, for Lenny was loved by everyone.

In essence, he was the embodiment of how the game should be played, and there wasn’t a time when you didn't wish Hayes played for your footy club.

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Everyone has their favourite memories, but mine was a favourite game.

When he and Brendon Goddard played Batman and Robin against Collingwood in the drawn Grand Final of 2010, it seemed like it was two against 22. Hayes and Goddard willed themselves from contest to contest and despite Hayes giving his absolute best on the greatest day, the Saints didn’t win.News_Rich_Media: St Kilda are is serious danger of collecting their first wooden spoon since 2000 after suffering a 122-99 loss to the Western Bulldogs in Lenny Hayes' final home game.

Hayes will probably be a best and fairest winner in his final season, which makes you wonder if he couldn’t have eked out another season, a 17th.

Carlton’s Chris Judd has the same question being posed about him.

Hayes is 34. Judd is 30.

Unlike others who believe Judd will retire at the end of the season, I’m not of the same view.

Clearly, it’s not about form.

Against the Gold Coast, Judd had power and zip in his legs. He had 27 disposals, a game-high 15 contested disposals, nine clearances and two goals.News_Image_File: Lenny Hayes gets a guard of honour from the Western Bulldogs. Picture: Michael Klein

He was where the ball was and where it was going to be and time and again he sliced through the Suns with that familiar gait: Two hands on the ball out in front of him and the legs shuffling with speed.

Whereas Judd has laboured through some of his games this season, on Saturday he was slick, purposeful and influential and looked like a player in love with the game.

That’s the question: Does Juddy love it enough to go on? Does he love what he sees from Mick Malthouse and the group?

Always seemingly a pragmatic and unobtrusive individual, unless Judd’s personally told you otherwise, it’s near impossible to determine what he’s thinking.

Certainly, Malthouse seems to have softened his stance. “If Juddy says ‘I reckon I can go on’, I’ll certainly say: ‘I agree with you’,” he said after the game.News_Image_File: Chris Judd celebrates Carlton’s win with the fans. Picture: Alex Coppel.

I hope Judd continues.

He has to be in a good place right now.

In an interview with Carlton’s Tony De Bolfo late last week, Judd talked about fulfilment rather than fun when playing footy.

“When you’re running out onto the field crashing into bodies and feeling like you’re going to throw up your guts because you’re running so much, you’re not saying, `Wow, this is fun’, like you are when you’re at a barbecue having a few beers.

“But certainly that feeling at the end of a game when you’ve had a good win and everyone’s played well, there’s a sense of fulfilment that you don’t get in the rest of your life. It’s that fulfilment you’re chasing more so than that fleeting notion of fun.’’

Carlton, in the latter part of the season, is giving Judd a sense of fulfilment.

They’ve won three of their past five and Geelong coach Chris Scott noted after the game on Saturday night, the Blues could be the form team of the competition.