Goddard leaves Saints for Bombers

Updated October 02, 2012 08:22:21

It took just one day into the AFL's new free agency trade period for the Bombers to hit their big target, securing Brendon Goddard on a four-year deal from next season.

Essendon confirmed it had made a formal offer to St Kilda earlier on Monday, after the 28-year-old Goddard - a restricted free agent - agreed terms with the Bombers.

Just hours later, St Kilda confirmed it could only offer Goddard a three-year contract, sealing Goddard's departure to Windy Hill.

"We made a significant offer to Brendon that was relative to both his position and other players within the team," St Kilda head of football Chris Pelchen said.

"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.

"While we were keen to retain Brendon's services, the club respects his right to exercise his options under new free agency rules."

Essendon said Goddard was currently on annual leave and unavailable for comment.

Coach James Hird and chief executive Ian Robson will hold a press conference on Tuesday.

Essendon assistant coach Mark Thompson believes Goddard will make an immediate difference.

"He's a quality player, he plays to win, he uses the ball well, he's a good size, he's very flexible, and we probably haven't got enough of those players," Thompson said on Fox Footy.

"I think he'll probably slip straight into the leadership group I'd say.

"Just his experience of playing big-time finals football, playing a style of footy that can win finals.

"He's been part of all that so just his general leadership around the club."

Goddard was named in St Kilda's leadership group in 2012, and was seen as a possible successor to Saints captain Nick Riewoldt.

He played 20 games for St Kilda in 2012, and has played 205 career games (scoring 104 goals) for the club since making his AFL debut in 2003.

As a restricted free agent, Goddard had to decide on the best offer of his choice from one rival club before his own club had 72 hours to decide whether to match that offer.

Had the Saints matched the offer, Goddard could have accepted, sought a trade or entered the AFL draft.

Also on Monday, the AFL advised no priority picks would be awarded to any clubs for the upcoming draft.

Under the previous rule, any team that accumulated 16 premiership points or less in a year was entitled to a selection prior to the second round of the AFL Draft, while any club with two consecutive seasons of 16 premiership points or less in a year, was entitled to a selection prior to the first round.

In February this season, the AFL decided a much-stricter criteria would be used to determine whether clubs were eligible for priority picks.

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, st-kilda-3182, vic, australia, essendon-3040

First posted October 01, 2012 12:47:28

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Saints lose Goddard at Subiaco

Updated May 28, 2011 16:18:00

St Kilda star Brendon Goddard has been stretchered off the field with a suspected neck injury in his club's AFL match against Fremantle.

Goddard crumpled to the ground and rattled his legs in pain after receiving a hip to the side of the face from team-mate Zac Dawson in a first-quarter marking contest.

Umpire Dean Margetts immediately stopped play once he saw Goddard's distress, with the St Kilda trainers rushing to his aid.

Goddard was put in a neck brace and stretchered off the field.

The 26-year-old, who was the leading possession winner at the time with 10 disposals, gave the crowd the thumbs up when he left the field.

Initial word was he has suffered a neck injury.

Should Goddard be ruled out for any length of time it will be a massive blow to the Saints, who have already lost prime midfielder Lenny Hayes for the season with a knee injury.

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, vic, st-kilda-3182, wa, perth-6000

First posted May 28, 2011 16:09:00

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Saints lose Goddard, Dempster in Freo win

Updated May 28, 2011 18:56:00

Serious injuries to Brendon Goddard and Sean Dempster soured St Kilda's 46-point victory over Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on Saturday afternoon.

Goddard was stretchered from the pitch in a neck brace after crumpling to the ground following a collision with team-mate Zac Dawson's hip in a first-quarter marking contest.

The star defender gave the crowd a thumbs-up as he left the ground and the Saints - already sitting on a solid lead - got on with it to the tune of 15.12 (102) to 7.14 (56).

A sickening mid-air collision between Sean Dempster and Jason Blake in the shadows of full-time also stopped play for an extended period of time in another injury woe for the already ailing Saints.

Dempster was knocked out and required oxygen on-field after being accidentally kneed in the face by team-mate Blake as the pair were contesting a mark. Blake landed awkwardly on his neck but left the ground under his own power.

Ross Lyon could not hide his dismay from television cameras; he was spotted in the coaches' box with hands over his face as his second player for the afternoon was sent to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

St Kilda and former Fremantle midfielder Brett Peake told Grandstand that while the injuries were unfortunate, the club still had the personnel to take care of business.

"Not really," he told Grandstand when asked whether the Saints felt the impact of Goddard and Dempster's absence.

"I think we had the players to come in and play the positions. When Seany went down late there was only about three minutes to play but when BJ went down, Nicky Widmar had to come on as the sub and I think he did pretty well and got the job done.

"We knew it was going to be a hard game and it felt like we played two games out there today.

"Quarters went for that long and obviously with a few of our blokes going down injured it was a really tough day and really hot out there so we're glad to get away with a win."

The Saints, criticised this season for lacking passion, regained their trademark fighting spirit to show they are far from a spent force.

But the injuries to Goddard and Dempster could have long-term ramifications for the Saints' season.

St Kilda, which now has three wins and a draw from nine games, has already lost Lenny Hayes for the year and can ill afford to have a player of Goddard's ilk out for an extended period.

Dockers shockers

Fremantle booted just one goal in the opening half and was woeful in all aspects of the game in easily its worst performance of the year.

Even skipper Matthew Pavlich had a massive case of the fumbles as St Kilda's unrelenting pressure and clean ball skills proved the difference.

Stand-in Dockers ruckman Jonathon Griffin (38 hit-outs) toiled valiantly in the absence of Aaron Sandilands and could not be blamed for Fremantle's inept performance.

Saints tagger Clint Jones kept Stephen Hill quiet while Nick Dal Santo, Adam Schneider (four goals), Brett Peake (three goals) and Jack Steven were also important.

Peake was humble about his own performance.

"My own game means nothing these days," he said.

"It's all about playing the role for the team and [I'm] just glad that al the small forwards worked in together and we came away with the points."

Luke McPharlin was Fremantle's best player, keeping St Kilda spearhead Nick Riewoldt goalless.

Such was the lack of fight displayed by Fremantle, a sizeable chunk of the 35,483 fans left well before the final siren.

The result loosens Fremantle's already shaky grip on eighth spot with Richmond able to dislodge the Dockers should it get past Port Adelaide in Darwin on Saturday night.

The Saints have now won two straight and sit just outside the top half of the competition on 14 points, equal with the Demons but trailing Melbourne on percentages.

But they will not get carried away with thoughts of a comeback or finals footy, according to Peake.

"That's not what we're about, we're just earning respect back in the AFL and just going at it game by game," he said.

"The last two weeks have been a step forward but we've got a lot of improvement to go.

"Obviously we play Collingwood next week and it's a big game so recovery is vital at the moment.

"It just means getting all the fluids back in and eating the right foods to get up for next week."

St Kilda: 15.12 (102) - A Schneider 4, B Peake 3, C Jones 2, L Montagna 2, A Siposs, D Armitage, J Steven, S Milne.

Fremantle: 7.14 (56) - G Broughton 2, K Bradley, M Pavlich, P Duffield, R Palmer, S Hill.

- ABC/AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, vic, st-kilda-3182, wa, perth-6000

First posted May 28, 2011 18:15:00

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Goddard gives some reassurance

Published:Saturday, May 28, 2011 4:12 AEST

Saints star Brendon Goddard waves to the crowd as he is taken from the field with a suspected neck injury during the AFL match between the Fremantle Dockers and St Kilda at Subiaco Oval on Saturday May 28, 2010.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, wa, perth-6000

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Goddard, Black collide at the Gabba

 Published:Thursday, April 21, 2011 10:25 AEST

St Kilda's Brendon Goddard tackles Simon Black of the Lions during the round 5 AFL match between the Brisbane Lions and St Kilda at the Gabba, April 21, 2011.

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