Thoughts on Goddard today?

[Mervyn Beasley]

It will be passed off as 'he plays with passion' but I thought he was awful today. He is the sort of guy who can be a negative influence around the club and it might be time for them to ease him out of the side or talk to him of a mid year retirement.

It has been a problem for a long time but today was just very, very poor. He made plenty of mistakes himself but is the first to be critical of others.

Yep - he plays with passion.
Thats the reason he behaves like that.
It will never be an excuse however.

 

[Acinath]

How the hell are Goddard and Hodge mentioned in the same sentence?

 

[Quixote]

Very clear hearing Lloyd and other Essendon people on the radio, and indeed the language from the players (referring to 'him' as a separate entity to 'them'), Goddard is a hated figure at needle hill.

So many individuals in one 'team'. The trading they did was just bizarre.

 

[Happy Mastenator]

Can argue it's not a good look, but If there was one player deserving of a bake it was Daniher, he has all the talent in the world and just doesn't appear to take his footy seriously.

 

[Obeanie1]

Depends on what is actually said obviously, but to look at it another way, perhaps Zaha and Daniher are used to being coddled and babied, and can't take the hard truths that they need to lift their game at certain times.

And where does their captain sit in all this? Anonymous leadership and captaincy from Heppell.

Heppell needs to get a bloody hair cut, have a shave and stop spending more time on his looks and be a captain.

I mean seriously what is he trying to achieve with all the hair?

It certainly isnt a wind resistant set up, has to slow him down. Lose some peripheral vision. Weigh a good kilo to lug around all game when wet.

 

[Damon_3388]

Hodge would deliver the message and then go and put his body on the line.

Hodge really hasn't been a consistent "body on the line" ball-winner for about 5 years.

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Heppell needs to get a bloody hair cut, have a shave and stop spending more time on his looks and be a captain.

Im mean what is he trying to achieve with all the hair?

It certainly isnt a wind resistant set up, has to slow him down. Lose some peripheral vision. Weigh a good kilo to lug around all game when wet.

Lol

 

[Chuckie357]

A bad influence around the club? What the hell?

He was one of our best today against an avalanche coming out of the middle.

He’s like Nick Maxwell in that its his job to run the backline. Opposition supporters see him pointing... um, that’s his job. Of course he gets too fired up sometimes, that’s him. Off the field he’s completely different.

He came to the club and landed in a ****in terrible situation through no fault of his own, and has been 1st, 3rd, 5th, 4th and 2nd in the B&F. He had every right to crack the shits with his situation but instead has stood up and been a vital leader. He’s been enormous for us, we couldn’t have asked for a better recruit.

In 2016 they put the interim captaincy to a vote of the players and he topped the poll almost unanimously. Must be a terrible influence.

What a stupid post.

There’s a difference between directive pointing and just being a straight up flog

 

[Tiger Toffee]

You blokes are ******* kidding ain't you. At least this guy has a ****en crack and shows he wants to play for the jumper unlike some of the guys who show sweet **** all week in week out and want to play the game one way.
About the only guy who shows he gives a shit.

33 touches and only 5 contested, doesn't exactly scream having a crack does it. Maybe if he started cracking in instead off cracking the shits your backline might be better off.

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Hodge really hasn't been a consistent "body on the line" ball-winner for about 5 years.

Rubbish

 

[Carson Dial]

Enjoyed the dummy spit...more evidence that the Dons are nowhere near where they think they should be.

 

[mxett]

Thought it was very poor, and shouldnt go unpunished by the coach. It's one thing to have a quick word to a teammate on the field about not following the game plan, but most players just give a ruffle of the hair or pat on the back and say something like "next time mate, remember the plan". But to repeatedly call players out so demonstratively on the field is not constructive, it's destructive, it's divisive, it's arrogant and narcissistic. Goddard also made some shocking mistakes today. I wonder how he would have felt if his teammates waved their fingers in his face and highlighted his errors in front of 90,000 people?

 

[SuperSteele22]

Hodge really hasn't been a consistent "body on the line" ball-winner for about 5 years.

False.

His role may have changed at times but that’s completely irrelevant to the topic at hand. He’s always put his head over the footy when it’s his turn to go.

 

[AndyLucimitis]

To be honest I have more of a problem with his dummy spit last year when knocked all the drinks and pretzels off the table at half-time. That was just grandstanding for the cameras.

 

[BEEG]

Graduated head of the class at the Nick Maxwell School of Finger Pointing.

Disgusting you can even compare the two, seriously you should have your account suspended.

 

[aflcliche]

Everyone else high fives and pats each other on the back when they screw up these days, but he's taking the contrarian approach p

 

[parmy2balmey]

the issue is heppell isn’t a strong leader and can’t curb the bee jay and there are zero other leaders out there

 

[bresker]

I bet he lingers a bit too long in the tackle & digs the knees in at training. But only with first year players & rookies.

Would love someone at the Bombers to go full Setanta/Cloke on him.

Barry hall wherefore art thou?

Easily my least favourite opposition player by a considerable margin & of many years standing.

 

[citizen-erased]

About the only bloke at Essendon that plays with any heart. We cop shit for being a team of individuals but bugger me, surely Essendon comfortably have our measure. Not sure what they stand for as a club anymore.

This is as accurate a statement as you'll get on essendon.
Goddard is not the problem. The entire club is.
Not sure what will break it but I feel a good year of getting walloped and a low finish should let reality set in for 2019.

I'm hoping the extension woosha signed had a clause that holds him to account for creating the right mindset within the group. Right now, if any are still reeling from the drugs fiasco, trade them if they wish.

Btw - cheers for Smith. I'm about to start a Devon for captain petition. Plays with the heart and mongrel you want from all your players

 

[SurreyBlue]

It's how you relay the message, especially to a younger individual. For mine his body language and leadership style is unacceptable.
Always has come across as an arrogant person who does no wrong and knows everything. I have little time for people like him.

 

[MUFASA12]

He should come back to the saints, there’s a few blokes who deserve a good spray in our side (gilbert, geary for example), plus flogganomics is our forte.

 

[BF Tiger]

Is it going to be in the movie?

 

[luthor]

How the hell are Goddard and Hodge mentioned in the same sentence?

Sums it up beautifully.

Speaking here as one who has closely watched Hodge since he's been a Lion

Sure he does a lot of pointing and gesturing but it's in the spirit of coaching and encouragement. He must be bitterly disappointed at the(lack of) results so far at his time at Brisbane but I have never once seen him lose his rag or berate a team-mate. Apart from that, he's easily holding his place as a player in the side

The glaring difference between Hodge and Goddard is that Hodge has nothing to prove whilst Goddard acts like a petulant, bitter and frustrated child. Guess all those near misses with Saints weigh pretty heavily on him but it's no excuse for his behaviour.

If I were Worsfold I'd be giving him a verbal kick up the arse.

 

[Dixie Normous]

Disappointed that "not a good look" (catchcry for the SJW/Instafacedorkchat generation) hasn't been mentioned more in this thread

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Out if the 127 marks Essendon took today, would you believe only 23 were in their forward half?

Goddard's backward/sideward play was a major contributor to this.

Maybe he should look at a mirror and then start finger pointing.