Why Essendon had to cut ties with Brendon Goddard
BRENDON Goddard was blindsided by Essendon’s decision not to renew his contract, but there were just too many reasons why the Bombers had to move on from the 33-year-old, writes Jon Ralph.
Essendon
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THE position Brendon Goddard occupies on the field is a greater limiting factor to him playing on than any of the histrionics that divide the football public.
Players far more polarising than Goddard have got second chances from clubs who believed they could fast-track their premiership chances.
The issue for 33-year-old Goddard is that not only do Essendon have a heap of developing half back flankers, but so do most of the clubs where he would normally find a new home.
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Add St Kilda to the list who aren’t interested, which includes Gold Coast, Brisbane, Fremantle and most likely Carlton given their wealth of running defenders.
Goddard was blindsided by the club’s decision, having believed he was in an excellent spot to win a new deal if the club didn’t land big fish in the trade period.
Yet what has become clear in the last 24 hours is that a range of scenarios were presented to him last week, one of which made it absolutely clear he might not get a new deal.
If Goddard emerged from last week’s meeting believing he would play on, he wouldn’t be the first player to take the glass-half-full scenario from a list management meeting.
Over the weekend, three things occurred.
Essendon crashed out of the finals race, Goddard looked old and banged up, and Aaron Francis looked like Glen Jakovich as he hauled in four contested marks in his best game for the club.
The club’s view crystallised that if they were going to move on Goddard, he deserved to know it before Round 23 after one of the outstanding careers of the modern era.
Essendon’s view is that he might well have played plenty of football for them next year, but how long can you hold back the kids?
The Bombers hope to win a premiership with maturing stars like Joe Daniher, Zach Merrett, Andy McGrath and Jordan Ridley — but to do so it needs to give them chances to play.
The Essendon backline in Round 1 next year contains Michael Hurley, Francis and Cale Hooker as talls, with Conor McKenna and Adam Saad the rebounding half backs.
Then in that sixth defensive spot you could slot in any of Marty Gleeson, Ridley, Patrick Ambrose, Mason Redman and even Andy McGrath if they secure a Dylan Shiel-calibre midfield star.
That’s 10 defenders already, before you try to squeeze Goddard into a back six slot.
The Bombers haven’t started contract talks with Francis yet, but both parties are keen to get an extension done over the summer.
Good mate Nick Dal Santo is right — Goddard would play lots of games at most other clubs next year.
But the market tells you what the price is, or whether you have made the right decision.
St Kilda coach Alan Richardson said yesterday the Saints weren’t a player given their young defenders and established players like Dylan Roberton and Jimmy Webster.
Clubs in the premiership window probably don’t need a 33-year-old half back and those not in the window have to be careful about the message it sends the fans recruiting a 33-year-old.
Goddard’s sublime foot skills have seen coaches use him as the loose back, but it has him typecast when he showed in Round 1 with 29 possessions and a goal he could play a more inside, attacking midfield role.
It’s not to say that Goddard won’t find a new home, he just might have to wait until one of the last free agency periods in late November for a club that has missed out on its first choices.
Goddard doesn’t have to apologise to anyone for a 333-game career full of magnificent moments like that skyscraper Grand Final mark.
But when half backs with good skills, quality pressure numbers and the ability to defend are dime-a-dozen, it doesn’t help him as he attempts to squeeze every drop from his wonderful career.
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