BJ Not wanted?

[saintjake]

Goddard wanted to stay with the Saints, that much has been evident when he lowered his asking to 3 years with a conditional 4th year. Trying and meet the saints half way - saints didn't budge.

It seems almost as if the Saints hierarchy didn't feel that BJ was in their plans. Watters seems to be a very calculated man. We have all heard the praise he has given older blokes like Joey and Dal for doing "jobs" on players. Yet we havn't heard that sort of praise for BJ through out the year. No doubt with how Watters has gone about this season i.e playing the younger blokes, giving the older blokes jobs, he was testing out the playing list, seeing who could adapt, who he wanted to take forward.
BJ must of failed whatever tasks Watters gave him.

Without a doubt, BJ is a deadly kick, but really when you look at it. That's it. Not a huge contested ball winner, sure, he is an accumulator, but most of them are soft lose ball gets in the back half, or when he runs past for the handball just because he is a better user of the ball. At times he has been tried through the middle without success and when played as a forward, it often hasn't worked. (with the exception of a few bursts - against WC where he kicked 5 in the first)

What Essendon is paying for BJ is an huge amount for a rebounding , loose checking defender with a deadly kick.

The way I see it, with the rumours going around that we had to lose a star, BJ made the decision in the end and it will work in our favour.
It means we get to keep Dal & Joey (both of who had been mentioned in media circles as possibly being the star that was traded) and who I feel, add more value to the side.

In the case of BJ, how do we replace him? Towards the end of the season Siposs showed alot of promise, but personally I prefer him in the forward half. But with the money left now that BJ is gone, If we are able to get a full back, it will release Gwilt to play the loose checking, rebounding role which he grew so accustomed to in the 2010 period. Gwilts kicking skills are maybe not equal to BJ's but that left of his is very powerful, can break over the press or pick a target out with pin point accuracy from 50.
Also with the extra money found i wouldnt mind seeing us go after another mid, like a Brett Moloney (I know some of you will be against it, but stats don't lie, he is a clearance and contested ball king) which would free up a Dal Santo to spend more time behind the ball in the BJ role.

The way I see it is that although BJ has been a fan favourite for sometime, the superhuman role he played in the 2010 final series elevated him to status that he never again lived up too. With only one top 3 finish in the best and fairest awards over his time here, it really highlights how over hyped he has been. I'm not calling him a bad player, but as I've said to my Essendon supporting friends, $800k is a lot to pay for a loose checking rebound defender.
And also lets not forget the fact that when BJ changed his asking to try and meet the Saints half way, and The Saints still didn't budge. That really says something about how much they wanted him at the club.

[ausfatcat]

He was wanted no doubt not just at any cost

[plugger66]

He was wanted no doubt not just at any cost

We were happy to lose him.

[fingers]

I still think this isnt over. Saints and BJ said they wanted to test his value on the market. Now they know. Saints may move.

[plugger66]

I still think this isnt over. Saints and BJ said they wanted to test his value on the market. Now they know. Saints may move.

Surely you dont think the club will pay 3 million over 4 years?

[savatage]

He is not worth anywhere near that amount. Good luck to him at Essendon but that's just stupid money, unless he's an absolute superstar - which he is not.

[maverick]

I still think this isnt over. Saints and BJ said they wanted to test his value on the market. Now they know. Saints may move.

Surely you dont think the club will pay 3 million over 4 years?

Why do you think this is the offer, have you seen it?

[mad saint guy]

Everything they've done indicates that he was a required player, but not for more than 600k per year. They're not going to pay overs for him for three reasons

1) He's replaceable. Siposs is extremely similar as a player and the likes of Gilbert, Fisher, Gwilt and Dempster can all play Goddard's best role - loose half back, very well. Dunell is another looking for a spot as a flanker/utility.

2) He's going to be on his last legs by the time we're challenging again. St Kilda is loading up on young players for the first time since the early 2000s with an aim of having them ready in 3-4 years alongside some quality free agents taken with the new cap space.

3) He'll get us decent compensation. There's a good chance we could get 200 games of quality service from pick 13 as opposed to another 100 or less from BJ.

[plugger66]

I still think this isnt over. Saints and BJ said they wanted to test his value on the market. Now they know. Saints may move.

Surely you dont think the club will pay 3 million over 4 years?

Why do you think this is the offer, have you seen it?

No I havent. By the way how did you know BJ got offered less this time than last contract. Did you see either?

[savatage]

Everything they've done indicates that he was a required player, but not for more than 600k per year. They're not going to pay overs for him for three reasons

1) He's replaceable. Siposs is extremely similar as a player and the likes of Gilbert, Fisher, Gwilt and Dempster can all play Goddard's best role - loose half back, very well. Dunell is another looking for a spot as a flanker/utility.

2) He's going to be on his last legs by the time we're challenging again. St Kilda is loading up on young players for the first time since the early 2000s with an aim of having them ready in 3-4 years alongside some quality free agents taken with the new cap space.

3) He'll get us decent compensation. There's a good chance we could get 200 games of quality service from pick 13 as opposed to another 100 or less from BJ.

The other thing is, did you notice, at times, how slow BJ moved around the park? Looked to me like he lost a yard this year & that seemed to affect his disposal by foot. His disposal wasn't a patch on previous years efforts.

[SainterK]

I thought he improved as the season went on personally...

Started to kick more than handball again (ratio went heavily the other way last season) had his ability to hit a target back as the season wore on, was involved in heaps of scoring chains, even started to leap for marks again (that must of been impacted last year, painful I'm sure)

Strange...the way this season panned out, you'd almost guess he was recovering from hip surgery

[spert]

IMHO he has played his best footy and is basically a big sook- might have great skills, but aint elite above the shoulders and has been playing within himself instead of leading by example. Not unhappy to see him go at this stage in his career.

[plugger66]

I thought he improved as the season went on personally...

Started to kick more than handball again (ratio went heavily the other way last season) had his ability to hit a target back as the season wore on, was involved in heaps of scoring chains, even started to leap for marks again (that must of been impacted last year, painful I'm sure)

Strange...the way this season panned out, you'd almost guess he was recovering from hip surgery

I know SS voting isnt everything but he voted in the first 4 games and only 6 others after that. The sore hip must have effected him from round 5 onwards.

[Megsie]

Another peter Everitt departs our club
Should NOT be awarded life membership
until "retirement"

[plugger66]

Another peter Everitt departs our club
Should NOT be awarded life membership
until "retirement"

He got it this year. He hadnt left then.

[PJ]

IMHO he has played his best footy and is basically a big sook- might have great skills, but aint elite above the shoulders and has been playing within himself instead of leading by example. Not unhappy to see him go at this stage in his career.

It's the above the shoulders stuff that worried me the most and for those that thought he'd slowed a bit I've got news for you - he was never fast in fact in his early years I thought that he'd never make it because of his lack of pace - was caught regularly because of his speed or lack of.

[savatage]

IMHO he has played his best footy and is basically a big sook- might have great skills, but aint elite above the shoulders and has been playing within himself instead of leading by example. Not unhappy to see him go at this stage in his career.

It's the above the shoulders stuff that worried me the most and for those that thought he'd slowed a bit I've got news for you - he was never fast in fact in his early years I thought that he'd never make it because of his lack of pace - was caught regularly because of his speed or lack of.

I realise he's never been quick - but on a number of occasions this year he looked noticeably slower than before.

[ozrulestrace]

He is not worth anywhere near that amount. Good luck to him at Essendon but that's just stupid money, unless he's an absolute superstar - which he is not.

Agreed, all of this is based on his fame from the mark in the 2010 Grand Final. It cannot be based on his performance for season 2012.

Alll I'll say to Essendon he is one angry person and you will have to deal with that as well.

[bozza1980]

He is not worth anywhere near that amount. Good luck to him at Essendon but that's just stupid money, unless he's an absolute superstar - which he is not.

Agreed, all of this is based on his fame from the mark in the 2010 Grand Final. It cannot be based on his performance for season 2012.

Alll I'll say to Essendon he is one angry person and you will have to deal with that as well.

It's all relative isn't it?

If they think he's the missing piece to their jigsaw it could work out to be worth every cent.

It could all end in tears though, what do they say to their younger players or Watson at next contract negotiation, "only pay overs to half back flankers from other clubs?"

From a St Kilda view point, I hope this is the only bitter pill we have to swallow as the club tries to get our pay structure under control.

Obviously these things need to be judged in the fullness of time, but this is our 2nd Top 2 selection to leave in 3 years with another first round pick asking for a trade. It doesn't make pleasant reading.

[loris]

It's the above the shoulders stuff that worried me the most and for those that thought he'd slowed a bit I've got news for you - he was never fast in fact in his early years I thought that he'd never make it because of his lack of pace - was caught regularly because of his speed or lack of.

I realise he's never been quick - but on a number of occasions this year he looked noticeably slower than before.[/quote]


And as I had stated earlier in the year, not only had he slowed, but he looked to be carrying excess weight.

I mentioned how most of the team apart from Schnieds and Goddard were very chiselled, but to me BJ was carrying excess body fat.

I can remember all the BJ fan club (to which I have never been a member since day one), howled me down at the time and posted graphic pics of him coming out of the water at a beach recovery session. Sure he looked trained, but not granite.

I did give him the benefit of the doubt re this (in my opinion) excess weight because of his interrupted pre season.

To my EXPERT eye at perving on young men over the years Goddard was carring too much body fat and not enough lean muscle mass and remained this way all season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!