Brendan Goddard

jackal · Post: # 624746Post **jackal** » Mon 18 Aug 2008 11:41pm

I'm sure many on here have heard it before but I reckon that Goddard is now our best player for the fact that his skills are the best at the club.

I found myself shouting to the players to kick it to Goddard all day yesterday, so good is his foot skills.

It's a real shame that there are not 2 more players with these kind of skills in the team as we would move the ball in the forward line sooo easily with 3 Goddards!!

Dan Warna · Post: # 624748Post **Dan Warna** » Mon 18 Aug 2008 11:45pm

BJ goes about quietly collecitng his 22 possessions, 10 long kicks and 8 marks a game.

if riewoldt wasn't there, or we played a full time FF, i reckon BJ would be getting the accolades.

probably the second best mark in the team and the best kick in the team.

give him 10 shots a game from 50m and he'll get 7 of them in between the big sticks i reckon.

SaintWodonga · Tue 19 Aug 2008 12:01am

He's an absolute gun... I remember when Gerihg 1st came to the club & played down back, I said "wait to he goes up forward"... Well I feel the same about BJ now. I'd love to see him in positions where he can hurt (on the score board) the opostion more often.

Saints Premiers 2008 · Tue 19 Aug 2008 12:07am

SaintWodonga wrote:He's an absolute gun... I remember when Gerihg 1st came to the club & played down back, I said "wait to he goes up forward"... Well I feel the same about BJ now. I'd love to see him in positions where he can hurt (on the score board) the opostion more often.

with bj and rooey in the forward line and kosi floating around occassionally....

oh i just wet myself

casey scorp · Tue 19 Aug 2008 12:47am

I was down in Launceston about 3 or 4 years ago at an after-match function. I talked to a woman about who the best players were on the St Kilda list. I went for the pretty safe ones - she said Goddard.

I was of the view then that he often seemed lost on the ground - not knowing where he should be or where his opponent was. However, she was adamant that he was the best player in the team.

It was his Mum, and you can forgive her biases, but maybe she was on the money.

Saints Premiers 2008 · Tue 19 Aug 2008 12:57am

this is one time where the bashers of a certain player have gotten it terribly wrong

the only player i rate higher apart from rooey and possibly max on our list is bj

Sobraz · Post: # 624771Post **Sobraz** » Tue 19 Aug 2008 1:00am

top 5 at the club without doubt....

probably only behind roo with overall football abilty... overhead, kicking, on ground, good pace, inside/outside.. did i mention kicking...

he's the complete package...

animalenclosure · Tue 19 Aug 2008 1:17am

[quote="Sobraz"]top 5 at the club without doubt....

probably only behind roo with overall football abilty... overhead, kicking, on ground, good pace, inside/outside.. did i mention kicking...

he's the complete package...[/quote]

don't forget he also has the "red dooo"

Solar · Post: # 624848Post **Solar** » Tue 19 Aug 2008 1:49pm

casey scorp wrote:I was down in Launceston about 3 or 4 years ago at an after-match function. I talked to a woman about who the best players were on the St Kilda list. I went for the pretty safe ones - she said Goddard.

I was of the view then that he often seemed lost on the ground - not knowing where he should be or where his opponent was. However, she was adamant that he was the best player in the team.

It was his Mum, and you can forgive her biases, but maybe she was on the money.

another we stole from the blues.... rumour has it shes a saint true and true now

brown-coat · Post: # 624850Post **brown-coat** » Tue 19 Aug 2008 1:54pm

Football brain 100%.

Best long kick in the game.

This is the kind of player we should be looking to draft in 2009 and onwards because he sees how the ball moves and can create and setup punishing plays with his foresight. Much like Zinedine Zidane.

Excellent player.

Solar · Post: # 624852Post **Solar** » Tue 19 Aug 2008 1:55pm

brown-coat wrote:Football brain 100%.

Best long kick in the game.

This is the kind of player we should be looking to draft in 2009 and onwards because he sees how the ball moves and can create and setup punishing plays with his foresight. Much like Zinedine Zidane.

Excellent player.

there was a reason he went number 1.....

agree, hard to teach someone how to read the game

saintspremiers · Tue 19 Aug 2008 2:17pm

Roo is unquestionably our best player IMO and has been for virtually his whole career, but BJ is a gun.....300 game player in the making - I'd put money on it if there was a market!

perfectionist · Tue 19 Aug 2008 2:32pm

Will never be a forward. His marking "style" of ducking his head does not suit as he tends to take the ball above his head rather than out in front (remember Hamill, who could also jump). I would have hoped he would have improved that aspect after almost six years but not so (he did take one against Collingwood). He is much better coming from the back.

His foot skills are second to none at club, being one of only six Saints players who can kick both feet (cf Geelong at least 15!). Just why he looks for "no way out" handpasses to teammates is beyond me.

His propensity to try to "direct traffic" is also a major fault, holding up play and allowing the opposition to get back on the forwards. He, like Gram and Dal Santo, needs the in and under players to get it to him so that he can then kick long to position, namely right to a leading forward.

He is still only 23, so has at least 14 more years left in him!

stinger · Post: # 624889Post **stinger** » Tue 19 Aug 2008 3:14pm

Saints Premiers 2008 wrote:this is one time where the bashers of a certain player have gotten it terribly wrong

the only player i rate higher apart from rooey and possibly max on our list is bj

bj for mine........i have always been a fan....next to banger he is our most consistant good player......better skills than all the rest too......

sunsaint · Post: # 624929Post **sunsaint** » Tue 19 Aug 2008 4:22pm

One of the Saints best, no doubt will feature in this years B&F
however I keep in mind that his career has developed as the spare man in defence, he has to get the hissy fits out of his game, and 7 out of ten of his frees against would be for in the back.

Zed · Post: # 624938Post **Zed** » Tue 19 Aug 2008 4:42pm

BJ has always been a solid performer - and unfairly compared in the media with Daniel Wells who is a lot more flashy but nowhere near as consistent as BJ.

I think since coming back from his knee injury he has just decided to start imposing himself .. and I think 2009 will see him move up to level pegging with Reiwoldt as the most valubale player in our lineup.

WayneJudson42 · Tue 19 Aug 2008 4:48pm

perfectionist wrote: He is still only 23, so has at least 14 more years left in him!

Supporters should keep this in mind before writing off our other developing players. Taken him a few years to reach max potential.

mick13 · Post: # 624948Post **mick13** » Tue 19 Aug 2008 5:03pm

I remember a few years back, these old ladies behind me at a game were giving BJ heaps of crap. I was only 14 back then so wasn't as obsessed with the team as I am now, didnt really know much about BJ, anyways, it seemed to have an impact on me and I watched him thinking 'yeah he aint that great...'

But now he's really coming of age. Gonna be a great asset for us for many years.

Not only a great player, but a great ambassodor (think thats the word) for our club,

saintjake · Post: # 624954Post **saintjake** » Tue 19 Aug 2008 5:18pm

sometimes you hear people say he is a little hot headed.
needs anger managment.
i jsut think the kid plays with all his heart and soul.
from the sooky kid, who wanted to play for the blues.
he has come a long way.

BAM! (shhhh) · Tue 19 Aug 2008 5:21pm

I'm a pretty big fan of Goddard.

I still don't think he's got back the feel for the game that had him regularly looking a cut above before he did his knee. I am glad that he's been seeing more opps in the middle too - he was drafted as a big skilled mid, I think this is where he can really do damage. His skills mean he can play anywhere, but IMO it's as that extra gun midfielder that he'll in the end make his mark.

He can mark (even take a speccy), both contested and read the play well enough to get the uncontested. He can win the ball on the ground. His leading and tackling aren't top notch, but both are good enough.

And good lord can he kick.

perfectionist · Tue 19 Aug 2008 5:31pm

A real test of character is what a person does in times of adversity. After he did his knee, he would do anything just to be around the club and to help out. I'm sure I wasn't the only one to notice this.

stinger · Post: # 624966Post **stinger** » Tue 19 Aug 2008 5:34pm

perfectionist wrote:A real test of character is what a person does in times of adversity. After he did his knee, he would do anything just to be around the club and to help out. I'm sure I wasn't the only one to notice this.

a good footballer.......loves the game....and a good bloke to boot......

congorozides · Tue 19 Aug 2008 6:16pm

Saints Premiers 2008 wrote:
SaintWodonga wrote:He's an absolute gun... I remember when Gerihg 1st came to the club & played down back, I said "wait to he goes up forward"... Well I feel the same about BJ now. I'd love to see him in positions where he can hurt (on the score board) the opostion more often.
with bj and rooey in the forward line and kosi floating around occassionally....

oh i just wet myself

hes definitely in our top 2 or 3 players. no doubt ( roo is 1 then lenny and bj).

wetting yourself? we are 8th! just ahead of the tiges and the blues and the lions. imagine what youd be like if we were actually any good.

plugger66 · Post: # 624994Post **plugger66** » Tue 19 Aug 2008 6:24pm

Playing well where he is at the moment and IMO isnt a true forward as he wouldnt be quick enough on the lead and has a habit of dropping his head in marking contests. Also why move a player than is doing well in a position to see if he can play somewhere else. Try it next season in practice games.

bendigo bob · Tue 19 Aug 2008 7:06pm

I am BJ's biggest and number 1 fan and I can tell you that there is nothing sweeter than watching BJ effortlessly load up a perfect 50/60m pass lace out and hit Rooey on the chest so that he doesnt even have to break stride. It just doesnt get any better than that. BJ is a line breaker and match winner. He can do it all and on both sides of the body. When he came back from his knee it was like he had never been away. IMO the top 5 at the club at present are (in no particular order) Roo, BJ, Lenny and Fish with the 5th spot a toss up between Harves and Bally. This is based on current performance. (Bally was in top touch before that hammy twanged) If the others on the list could match the output and consistency of these top flight players we would be the outright favourite to topple the Cats from their perch instead of still trying to cement our spot in the 8.