Goddard offer - SEN report

[Kick-it-lace-out]

BJ leaves in the first year of (restricted) free agency.....it could only happen to us. If free agency didn't exist, I couldn't see another club giving away draft choices for a 28 yo who has not done a lot in the last 2 years.

[saintbrat]

Barry Breen‏@barry_breen

@bjgoddard18 BJ what a hard call you are facing. Being a one team champion stays with you all your life. Not so sure about the alternative.

[sunsaint]

The stupid thing about how the AFL system works is that hypothetically he could already have agreed to go to another club but won't anounce it until after round 23.

I reckon it would be good if player and club leave on good terms and even give him a farewell game. Should always be welcome back at the club just like Abblet will always be welcome back at Geelong.

dont want the ludicrous situation like they have in the NRL where players are signed up mid year.

[Burkey 1]

BJ stating that he wants to stay smacks of one Tony Lockett back in 1994, I remeber plugger sdaying he was going to stay and we all know how that ended up !!!

I hope he stays but all my instincts tell me he is off.

[SainterK]

I wish the club had got around to this earlier.

He wanted to stay, we should of got it further along before he'd really given deep thought to an alternative.

Can't believe people think he is a downhill skier.

From memory, pretty sure an article recently stated he had said no to a move to Freo regardless of what happens.

I'd say if Derm broke the story, it's GWS because he helps out up there.

Too hard to refuse? Well that depends, plenty have if we were to be honest about it, and would of been offered heaps of $$$

[Cairnsman]

The stupid thing about how the AFL system works is that hypothetically he could already have agreed to go to another club but won't anounce it until after round 23.

I reckon it would be good if player and club leave on good terms and even give him a farewell game. Should always be welcome back at the club just like Abblet will always be welcome back at Geelong.

dont want the ludicrous situation like they have in the NRL where players are signed up mid year.

Don't kid yourself. Players are still agreeing to switch clubs mid-year in the AFL. The only difference is all of the deals are done in a sneaky way behind everyone’s back and that rips the clubs of mostly because it leaves them less time to do their succession planning. The only reason most AFL supporters say they don't want mid-year deals done as it is in the NRL is because there is still a ridiculous notion that it is somehow not loyal.
Hypothetically think of the advantage to the club if it was known months ago that Goddard was leaving at seasons end.

[suss]

I'm sick of getting bent over by Ross Lyon.

f**** the list, then bails because his decisions are gonna make it tough, then picks over the bones.

f*** you Ross...

That said, if he goes anywhere else I wont care

I'd 'play the kids' in round 24 to deny him a final...but i'm a vindictive prick.

[MCG-Unit]

I wish the club had got around to this earlier.

He wanted to stay, we should of got it further along before he'd really given deep thought to an alternative.

Can't believe people think he is a downhill skier.

From memory, pretty sure an article recently stated he had said no to a move to Freo regardless of what happens.

I'd say if Derm broke the story, it's GWS because he helps out up there.

Too hard to refuse? Well that depends, plenty have if we were to be honest about it, and would of been offered heaps of $$$

No Goddard's not a downhill skier at all.

Wonder if the Saints placed an offer on the table to him earlier, or maybe negotiations are happening - be good to know the truth, not media and supporter speculation.
Edit: I want him to stay.....

[bigcarl]

I'd love him to stay, he's a wonderful player.

But, in the words of Kerry Packer in Howzat! last night, ''if he doesn't want to play for us, then f*** him"

[Dave McNamara]

I'm sick of getting bent over by Ross Lyon.

f**** the list, then bails because his decisions are gonna make it tough, then picks over the bones.

f*** you Ross...

That said, if he goes anywhere else I wont care

I'd 'play the kids' in round 24 to deny him a final...but i'm a vindictive prick.

Ahhh Suss, you may well be a vindictive prick, but you're our vindictive prick, and we love you for that!

Viva da Passion!!!

[MC Gusto]

Doubt he'll remain a saint

[The Redeemer]

Gerard Whately says he has spoken to his/BJ 's manager ( this afternoon) and NO BJ has not decided to leave the club.......

BUt GW still believes he will leave...

I tend to respect GW for being plain awesome and I doubt he needs to clout to just lie about potential meetings or what-not.

It will look awful for us if we have Riewoldt label him as the next captain and then he leaves...

If he goes to Freo well...McPharlin is a year by year proposition, Sandi too, Pav is getting older...3 best players...

[Teflon]

I have no animosity toward Goddard is he goes at all.

He's nearly 28 and will struggle to be in our next Premiership tilt.

He will be remembered for mine for that mark.........but since that day has done very little Im afraid and not worth 850k etc to us - he could be worth that to a challenging side that can afford him the luxury of receiving outside kicks (I really believe he struggles in congestion to win his own) as he will set them up going fwd beautifully. Thats not us.

All the best BJ - now hand me them picks.

[Verdun66]

We're going to have to rebuild. Everyone seems to agree. Would rather we had our top players while we did it, but it may work out best that we part with some of our guns to get the most in return. Maybe Dal and BJ both go, but we end up with more in the long term. The 2012 draft sounds a cracker, so maybe that's what they're targeting. Plus get some guys for the positions we are lacking in. Ruck and Key defenders.

Am sure if we sat on our hands and did nothing we would be ruing the missed opportunity in 2-3 years time. Have a poor year next year, get a couple of low picks again in the 2013 draft. Collingwood did it not so long ago and got 2 or 3 guns in one year. Hasn't taken them too long to get up the top again.

I am torn about it, but don't want it to be 10-15-20 years before we have another tilt at the big one.

[bergholt]

@barry_breen @bjgoddard18 BJ what a hard call you are facing. Being a one team champion stays with you all your life. Not so sure about the alternative.

the "alternative" for bj at this point is to have a chance at being a premiership player, a choice breen never had to make.

at this point bj knows in his heart that he can't win a flag at st kilda. so he has to choose between being like robert harvey, a one-club player who never won a flag, and being like luke ball, who played at two clubs and was seen by some as disloyal but won a flag at the second. except that unlike bally, he'll actually make significantly more cash at his new club.

earn more and have a greater chance of a premiership. not a hard choice, really.

[Teflon]

@barry_breen @bjgoddard18 BJ what a hard call you are facing. Being a one team champion stays with you all your life. Not so sure about the alternative.

the "alternative" for bj at this point is to have a chance at being a premiership player, a choice breen never had to make.

at this point bj knows in his heart that he can't win a flag at st kilda. so he has to choose between being like robert harvey, a one-club player who never won a flag, and being like luke ball, who played at two clubs and was seen by some as disloyal but won a flag at the second. except that unlike bally, he'll actually make significantly more cash at his new club.

earn more and have a greater chance of a premiership. not a hard choice, really.

I agree and to be fair who could blame him?

Id love the parting to be amicable.....rarely is but would be nice.

[Con Gorozidis]

I think its looking like 90% to GWS now.
I wont hold a grudge . He tried his guts out to win us that GF that day.
28 - probably double his money over the next 3 years and in 2014 he might get some finals action.
I would be pissed if it were a scully or a ward situation but we got 5 years of top grade service from BJ. Cant ask much more.
We need another 3 or 4 young guns asap please footy gods.

[whiskers3614]

Not dirty on:
Plugger
Luke Ball
and wouldn't be dirty on BJ either especially if we get something in return.

Dawson/Lyon are another matter altogether!

[DK27]

I fear he is going.

Riewoldt offering him the captaincy appears to be a desperate move to keep him at the club. If Riewoldt is serious he should also give up some of his money so we can offer him a decent contract. Put his money where his mouth is!

Where there is smoke there is fire generally. The press is saying big offers on the table and St Kilda has not made an offer to him yet. Goddard may not have a viable option to stay.

If he goes to any club other than GWS, under free agency rules we will get 1 pick as compensation which is up to the AFL to nominate what pick. Likely to be mid first round in my opinion which I believe is not enough.

[bergholt]

Where there is smoke there is fire generally.

bulls***. have you seen the quality of the footy media? many of them just obviously make s*** up to big note themselves.

it's a stupid saying anyway in the days of the internet. i could create five saintsational accounts and get them all to post in a thread saying we've just seen bj in a pub in parramatta talking to sos and sheeds and elvis. that would definitely be "smoke" but would there be "fire"?

The press is saying big offers on the table and St Kilda has not made an offer to him yet.

yeah, i reckon this was an ok strategy from the saints. if we made the first offer then his management could shop it around and easily find someone else to beat it. as it is, we get a look at the best offers from other clubs, and we can decide if he's worth that much to us. if we make him a competitive offer then he's likely to stay.

[Richter]

I reckon it depends on whether a Melbourne based club can match what Freo or GWS can offer. I really don't think BJ will go interstate... he obviously doesn't want to leave the Saints, which is where his mates are... but if we don't make him the captain and offer him a backended contract then I think the lure of the extra $$ ( which might well add up to $500k over the next 3years) and the greater chance of a premiership elsewhere will probably in the end tip the balance.

My bet would be on Essendon.

[DK27]

Where there is smoke there is fire generally.

bulls***. have you seen the quality of the footy media? many of them just obviously make s*** up to big note themselves.

it's a stupid saying anyway in the days of the internet. i could create five saintsational accounts and get them all to post in a thread saying we've just seen bj in a pub in parramatta talking to sos and sheeds and elvis. that would definitely be "smoke" but would there be "fire"?

The press is saying big offers on the table and St Kilda has not made an offer to him yet.

yeah, i reckon this was an ok strategy from the saints. if we made the first offer then his management could shop it around and easily find someone else to beat it. as it is, we get a look at the best offers from other clubs, and we can decide if he's worth that much to us. if we make him a competitive offer then he's likely to stay.

You are right about the footy press. Not a lot of credibility really but if there are a lot of sources saying similar things then likely there is something in it.

I hope he stays but, in the end, if we get a mid first round pick and free some cap space to offer a free agency deal to a solid tall defender, then as a team St Kilda should be in a better position next year.

If he is going then I hope he ends up at GWS. Freo or Essendon would turn my stomach.

[SainterK]

So media is saying that Saints haven't given him an offer yet.

I find that staggering personally.

Can only believe that they are either foolish or are going to trade him.

[Teflon]

So media is saying that Saints haven't given him an offer yet.

I find that staggering personally.

Can only believe that they are either foolish or are going to trade him.

One gets the feel that he will be THE big name the club hangs out to trade.

I was curious mid year .........the clubs lack of urgency and I thought Goddard had made several noises bout wanting to stay.

In fairness to the club, it isnt going to offer him what GWS/Freo would and nor should it.

Facts are BJ's form has been just ok for 2 years - a long way from the so called best player going round mantle. He will still be enormous value to a near challenging side with greater midfield depth who can release him outside to finish for them. That aint us.

What does disturb me is........where are our ball users going to come from? but I guess Pelchen would say "the draft" cause by the time we are seriously troubling the top 4 again it will be a new batck of kids.

[ThomasR]

I have little doubt that in a perfect world Brendon wants to stay - but from my understanding he also believes he should be the highest paid player at the club. Given the demographic of their list I also have little doubt that GWS have the resources to pay him substantially more than what he is demanding from us.

Sentiment aside, the club needs to put its needs first. Given that it is unlikely that we will be in a realistic position to challenge over the next few years, look forward to 2017. Do we want a 32 year old (maybe retired?) Goddard, or possibly two of the best kids from this year's draft beginning to enter the prime of their careers, with another 10 years' service to offer? In addition, the extra salary cap pressure brought on by re-signing Goddard could well squeeze some other talent out. Thanks for the memories