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Brendon Goddard

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Brendon Goddard
Goddard playing for Essendon in April 2018
Personal information
Full name Brendon James Goddard
Date of birth (1985-05-20) 20 May 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth Traralgon, Victoria
Original team(s) Gippsland Power (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 1, 2002 national draft
Height 193 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight 94 kg (207 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder / defender
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2003–2012 St Kilda 205 (104)
2013–2018 Essendon 129 0(56)
Total 334 (160)
International team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
2006–2017 Australia 6 (1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2018.
2 State and international statistics correct as of 2017.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Brendon James Goddard[1] (born 20 May 1985) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for St Kilda and Essendon in the Australian Football League (AFL). He played for the St Kilda Football Club from 2003 to 2012, then with Essendon from 2013 to 2018.

He was the captain of Essendon during the 2016 season.

Early life

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Goddard was raised in Traralgon, Victoria, and later attended Caulfield Grammar School as a boarder. He was an accomplished sportsman, co-captaining the school's First XVIII football team and co-captaining the First XI cricket team as a batsman and pace bowler.[2]

AFL career

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St Kilda: 2003–2012

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A lifelong Carlton supporter, it seemed destined that Goddard would fulfill his boyhood dream of playing for the Blues when Carlton finished last in the 2002 AFL season and indicated they would take Goddard with the first pick of the 2002 National Draft. However, an investigation into salary cap breaches stripped Carlton of the #1 pick, which was elevated to St Kilda, who ultimately took him. "It was pretty deflating, to be honest. But at that age you don't get a choice of where you go, so I was just grateful to get an opportunity anywhere."[3]

He debuted in the following season while completing his Victorian Certificate of Education as a Year 12 student at Caulfield Grammar School. He played in the 2004 Wizard Home Loans Cup winning side – the club's second AFL pre-season competition win. After being selected with the number 1 pick, he received a lot of criticism in his early years.[2]

During a round 7 clash against the Sydney Swans in 2007, Goddard ruptured his ACL after falling heavily onto it, which resulted in Goddard missing the remainder of the season.[4]

He would return to play in round 3, 2008 and produced a solid form for the rest of the year. Despite interest from other clubs trying to recruit him, he signed a contract to stay with the Saints until 2010.

After a strong first few rounds of the 2009 season, Goddard was noted as one of the best players in the league and was seen as an early favourite for the Brownlow Medal.

Although generally considered a defender/midfielder, during a round 3 match against West Coast in 2009, he was positioned in the forward line and kicked four goals in the first quarter, the most he had ever kicked in a single game until that time. Although he didn't kick another goal for the game, he did gain 28 disposals in a best on field performance.

Goddard averaged 27.2 possessions per game in 24 matches in 2009 and was selected in the 2009 All-Australian Team and finished as the runner-up for the Trevor Barker Award.[5] St Kilda finished first on the ladder after the home and away season and won their third minor premiership.[6] They qualified for the 2009 AFL Grand Final, where they were defeated by the Geelong Cats by 12 points.

He averaged a career-high 28.7 possessions in 25 games (including four finals matches). He was voted in the All-Australian Team, finished third in the Trevor Barker Award and received 14 votes in the 2010 Brownlow Medal going into the night as the favourite to win. In the drawn 2010 AFL Grand Final, Goddard finished second in the voting for the Norm Smith Medal, with seven votes and his teammate Lenny Hayes won it with 13 votes.[7] He is also remembered for taking a memorable high mark in the last quarter, and kicking a goal which put the Saints in front (before Collingwood came back to draw the game and defeat the Saints in the replay a week later). At the conclusion of the season, he signed on until the end of the 2012 season.

On 1 October 2012, Goddard signed with Essendon and became the first big name to use the AFL's new free-agency period which debuted in 2012. Goddard had refused to sign a new three-year deal all season and instead opted to sign with the Bombers, who offered him higher pay and a four-year contract. Goddard was formally offered the deal by Essendon at 11am on 1 October, with St Kilda allowed 72-hours in which to make a counter offer.[8] However, the Saints decided by the end of the day that they were not willing to match the offer, therefore allowing Goddard to join the Bombers. In making a formal statement of the decision, St Kilda head of football, Chris Pelchen, stipulated that the club had made a significant offer to Goddard "that was relative to both his position and other players within the team. While we are disappointed at his decision to leave the Saints, we are absolutely committed to our ‘team first’ philosophy in relation to player contracts."[9] St Kilda's senior coach, Scott Watters, further elaborated on the reasons St Kilda chose not to counter the Bombers' offer: "As far as the offer that was put forward to Brendon, it would've put him in the top two highest paid players at our football club", Watters said.[10] "The reason (for Goddard leaving) is money. It's that simple."[10] St Kilda was said to have offered "significantly more" than $500,000 a year to Goddard.[10]

Essendon: 2013–2018

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He joined Essendon with aspirations of winning a premiership, but found himself walking into one of the biggest controversies in Australian sporting history. Goddard took on the responsibility of being a leader and speaking to the media where his new teammates were not allowed to speak.

Goddard's first season at Essendon was capped off when he won the first best-and-fairest award of his career.[11] He played every game for the season, mainly through the midfield, averaging 26 disposals and kicking 18 goals, his best season tally since 2010. His leadership continued to be valued on and off the field, and his maturity and experience in big games proved invaluable to the young list.

In 2014, Goddard once again maintained his form on the field, whilst again being a voice for his teammates in the media. He was important in Essendon's loss to the North Melbourne Football Club and finished third in the W. S. Crichton Medal.

In January 2016, Goddard was named as Essendon's captain, replacing the suspended Jobe Watson. Mark Baguley was named as vice-captain.[12]

In August 2018, Essendon opted not to offer Goddard a contract for the 2019 season, effectively ending Goddard's football career.

Statistics

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[13]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2003 St Kilda 18 18 6 6 156 83 239 77 30 0.3 0.3 8.7 4.6 13.3 4.3 1.7 0
2004 St Kilda 18 24 4 4 174 128 302 109 48 0.2 0.2 7.3 5.3 12.6 4.5 2.0 3
2005 St Kilda 18 19 6 4 178 105 283 91 41 0.3 0.2 9.4 5.5 14.9 4.8 2.2 0
2006 St Kilda 18 22 10 9 321 156 477 177 71 0.5 0.4 14.6 7.1 21.7 8.1 3.2 6
2007 St Kilda 18 7 3 2 89 41 130 56 12 0.4 0.3 12.7 5.9 18.6 8.0 1.7 0
2008 St Kilda 18 23 11 4 337 200 537 182 47 0.5 0.2 14.7 8.7 23.4 7.9 2.0 6
2009 St Kilda 18 24 15 9 359 293 652 150 77 0.6 0.4 15.0 12.2 27.2 6.3 3.2 14
2010 St Kilda 18 25 24 9 367 351 718 172 88 1.0 0.4 14.7 14.0 28.7 6.9 3.5 14
2011 St Kilda 18 23 13 11 309 233 542 131 90 0.6 0.5 13.4 10.1 23.6 5.7 3.9 9
2012 St Kilda 18 20 12 13 300 187 487 121 60 0.6 0.7 15.0 9.4 24.4 6.1 3.0 4
2013 Essendon 9 22 18 5 347 227 574 151 73 0.8 0.2 15.8 10.3 26.1 6.9 3.3 9
2014 Essendon 9 20 17 18 282 181 463 133 51 0.9 0.9 14.1 9.1 23.2 6.7 2.6 9
2015 Essendon 9 22 10 7 278 303 581 131 78 0.5 0.3 12.6 13.8 26.4 6.0 3.6 2
2016 Essendon 9 20 3 7 256 262 518 117 73 0.2 0.4 12.8 13.1 25.9 5.9 3.7 0
2017 Essendon 9 23 5 3 309 304 613 168 73 0.2 0.1 13.4 13.2 26.7 7.3 3.2 0
2018 Essendon 9 22 3 2 239 251 490 137 37 0.1 0.1 10.9 11.4 22.3 6.2 1.7 1
Career 334 160 113 4301 3305 7606 2103 949 0.5 0.3 12.9 9.9 22.8 6.3 2.8 77

Commercial partnerships

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Two of Goddard's most prominent commercial partners include Kia and Nike.[14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Brendon Goddard Chat Transcript (25th June 2003)". Australian Football League. 26 June 2003. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b Silkstone, Dan (13 September 2008). "Goddard willing". The Age. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2008.
  3. ^ "How Goddard was almost a Blue".
  4. ^ "List of AFL players who have previously undergone ACL reconstruction". Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  5. ^ Riewoldt wins historic fifth medal Archived 7 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "2009 Season Scores and Results – Ladder". AFL Tables. 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
  7. ^ "St Kilda hardman Lenny Hayes wins first 2010 Norm Smith Medal". Archived from the original on 29 September 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2010.
  8. ^ afl.com.au[dead link]
  9. ^ "Goddard departs Saints - Official AFL Website of the St Kilda Football Club". Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  10. ^ a b c "St Kilda offered Goddard 'significantly' more than $500,000 to stay | 3AW Football". Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  11. ^ Rise and shine
  12. ^ "Brendon Goddard named Essendon captain for 2016 AFL season". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. 22 January 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  13. ^ "Brendon Goddard". AFL Tables. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  14. ^ . Brendon Goddard, Elite Sports Properties
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