Brendan Goddard - has he lived up to expectations??

[Seaford_Saint]

Ok everyone... deep breath..... read the post before jumping down my throat and tearing out my larynx.......

Brendan Goddard pre-Draft at at 16/17 was generally widely regarded as the most exciting mid-sized young footballer the sport had seen for at least 10 years.

Brendan Goddard today.... a very good, skilled and courageous half back flanker (who can rotate through the midfied and pinch hit up forward)...

Given the very high expectations just before he was drafted, do people generally feel he has lived up to his potential?

I understand knee injury has interrupted his recent past, but even if that hadn't occurred, I don't know if we would ever have been talking about him in the same breath as Ablett / Hodge (mid's) or Franklin / Brown (KPP's).

I feel his career to date would warrant being regarded as an excellent mid-1st round draft pick... certainly not a standout #1.

Don't get me wrong - I think he's a terrific asset to the team - reliable, skilled by foot, footy-smarts and courageous.... but is he an out-and-out match-winner... i think not.

Just something to throw around in this early season break that we shouldn't be having (but that's another issue).

Thoughts please?

[HarveysDeciple]

I think he was on the way when he did that knee.

His 2006 season was very very good. He started to almost double his posession output, would kick goals and take numerous telling marks in defence.

Had finally arrived as a very good player and it appeared to be all onwards and upwards.

He has now returned from a major setback and has been pretty solid without being spectactular this year, but given time he should start to continue progressing along.

I for one am happy with what he has done and have little doubts he will be a superstar.

[ausfatcat]

Top ten from Goddards year




1 1 Brendan Goddard Gippsland U18 St. Kilda
1 2 Daniel Wells Peel Thunder Football Club Kangaroos
1 3 Jared Brennan Southern Districts Football Club Brisbane Lions
1 4 Tim Walsh Northern U18 Western Bulldogs
1 5 Jarrad McVeigh NSW-ACT U18 Sydney Swans
1 6 Steven Salopek Dandenong U18 Port Adelaide
1 7 Andrew Mackie Glenelg Football Club Geelong
1 8 Luke Brennan Northern Ballarat Football Club Hawthorn
1 9 Hamish McIntosh Murray U18 Kangaroos
1 10 Jason Laycock Tasmania U18 Essendon


McIntosh would be the only one I would even consider to take before Goddard, every No 1 draft pick is played up before they are taken.

Wait until the end of the year to assess to be fair to Goddard as well it takes time to come back from a ACL his first five games last year were outstanding.

[congorozides]

if u watch the games before he did his knee. he dominated. he was there then.

hes certainly the least of the saints worries.

im losing sleep over the clarke brothers, luke ball and matt maguie.

dont even start me on watts, brooks, mcqualtar....

so at this stage i cant complain about goddard.

[Dan Warna]

was hitting his straps till injury kicked in, but has been a solid contributor from his early days.

I dont think goddard was ever 'carried' but 2006 and 2007 he was really blossoming.

on the other hand mcintosh was a disaster till 2007, and really had North fans scratching their heads why he was on the list.

you can imagine what st kilda fans would have been saying about mcintosh for 4 years on the list for about 11 games.

[Duggie]

As often happens,a brilliant career in the making is slowed/changed/affected somehow by a serious injury. Which one of the three is hanging over BJ I do not know. And what troubles me also is the fact that he has been singled out for comment again after having come through a period of development during which many on this forum wanted him out.
Lets hope he is on the way back again for he has the stamp of a champion all over him.

[Seaford_Saint]

Duggie.... don't be too troubled... i'm sure Brendon isn't losing any sleep over my post!!!

[BringBackMadDog]

Best kick in the side by miles (top 10 in the league i reckon) born leader gives his all works hard at his game. In a fairly waek draft was and still is number one by a fair margin

[eppo67]

Needs to play at CHB now. Reads the play better and is far more agile than Goose. I really believe he is our CHB man.

[spert]

BJ is a quality player who can develop even more. If he stays injury-free, he will move into the elite group of AFL players.

[evertonfc]

Gun.

Completely happy with his progress post-reco.

Brilliant kick of the football and zen-like composure.

[remboy]

It's hard to compare Goddard to Ablett or Hodge because he plays a different role. FWIW I think his foot skills are as good as anyone in the AFL. How many other players can hit a player on the chest over 50 metres off one step on either foot?
Also, his decision making is excellent. It's why we try to get the ball to him whenever we go out of defence.
Looking at the top 10 from that year there isn't anyone else I'd have ahead of him.

[Seaford_Saint]

Ok people.... to clarify.... I'm not asking you to compare to the top ten list of his draft year....

I'm asking you.... do you believe he's lived up to the expectations you had of him based on all the hype prior to his drafting??

[Behind Play]

Ok people.... to clarify.... I'm not asking you to compare to the top ten list of his draft year....

I'm asking you.... do you believe he's lived up to the expectations you had of him based on all the hype prior to his drafting??

The only hype was that he could't go to Carlton because of there antics, if I remember correctly........and he barracked for them.

[saintspremiers]

He is one of the best, longest and accurate field kickers I can remember at our club in 25 years......Plugger was the best at set shots for goal, but BJ can't be topped around the ground.

He was flying before his knee injury, and I'm still confident he'll be a 300 game player for St Kilda. A superstar!

[Behind Play]

He is one of the best, longest and accurate field kickers I can remember at our club in 25 years......Plugger was the best at set shots for goal, but BJ can't be topped around the ground.

He was flying before his knee injury, and I'm still confident he'll be a 300 game player for St Kilda. A superstar!

I agree, i wouldn't mind seeing him at CFF and maybe put Roo at CFB

[bozza1980]

He is one of our A-Graders but he is not the top-5 in the AFL player we expected him to be.

Every club in the comp would have picked him had they the first choice in the draft and time has proven that he was the right choice, he is the best player out of that draft.

[Dan Warna]

Ok people.... to clarify.... I'm not asking you to compare to the top ten list of his draft year....

I'm asking you.... do you believe he's lived up to the expectations you had of him based on all the hype prior to his drafting??

yes, I think he is an awesome player and clearly the no.1 draft pick.

a guy who can play CHF, CHB, HFF, HBF, RR and wing, with a motor to run all day long.

yes there are weaknesses in his game, he's 191 cm or so, and can't really be expected to compete with 180cm slim wingman, but as a power player, he has fullfilled expectations to date, and will get better.

I never expected him to be top 5 in the AFL, I do expect him to be in the top 10% of player and I think he was htere before the injury.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

the issue with bj is that we have other players that play in the positions that he should play

he should be in the midfield or as the chf/third tall but obviously we have plenty of players there

we need a big kicking backman who can do it all and at the moment that is where bj has to play

its much like kosi and the issues of where to play him...no doubt at many other clubs he would be the best power forward and kick 60 a year etc

[tweedaletomanning]

if u watch the games before he did his knee. he dominated. he was there then.

hes certainly the least of the saints worries.

im losing sleep over the clarke brothers, luke ball and matt maguie.

dont even start me on watts, brooks, mcqualtar....

so at this stage i cant complain about goddard.

Ditto!!!

[Saints43]

Completely happy with his progress post-reco.

His comeback from the reconstruction has been as good as any you'd see, I reckon.

Lenny had a reasonably smooth track back to form as well.

It's a credit to them and whoever manages that for the club.

[bigred]

If only....If only.

As said above, was developing rapidly last year prior to his knee. Would probably be considered elite if not for that interruption.

One of the best 40+ meter field kicks I have ever seen.

Not too many players can kick a drop punt onto the chest of a running target with such regularity.

That is a massive weapon in my opinion. Just needs to be exploited by the game plan.

I'm happy with where BJ is at, no question. Hit the ground running this year.

[bozza1980]

I never expected him to be top 5 in the AFL, I do expect him to be in the top 10% of player and I think he was htere before the injury.

I think you've knocked the nail on the head with regard to expectations, everybody has a different set!!

[yipper]

So, the general consensus is that he has exceeded all expectations and is a most worthy No. 1 choice. Unanimous opinions that he is a gun now and will be a superstar. So Seaford Saint - you don't think so??

[plugger66]

I suppose the question is, is he as good as number picks in the 2000's when drafting got fair dinkum.

Rooy No
Hodge No
Cooney Probably not
Delidio Maybe
Murphy To early to tell
Gibbs To early to tell
Kruezer to early to tell

So by that he is an average number pick but will hopefully improve next year as he has had a year out with injury.