Essendon has decided not to give veteran Brendon Goddard a new contract, throwing the former AFL number-one draft pick into the football wilderness.
But the 33-year-old still holds out hope he can continue his AFL career at a third club after joining the Bombers from St Kilda at the end of 2012.
“I still feel as though I have something to give but fully respect the club has to make these hard decisions and it speaks to the depth of younger talent we have on our list,” Goddard told Essendon’s website on Tuesday.
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“The club has been great to me over my six years and I feel I have been great for the club.
“I am at peace with the decision but still weighing up my options, given it is still very raw, I am taking some time to think about the future.”
Statistically Goddard has been one of the Bombers’ best again this year, but his numbers have dropped from past seasons.
More telling has been his behaviour both on and off the field.
A mid-match blow up at teammates Joe Daniher and David Zaharakis on ANZAC Day led to criticism from all angles.
David Zaharakis and Brendon Goddard had some words for each other. #AFLPiesDons pic.twitter.com/C5XG2zgLjD
— AFL (@AFL) April 25, 2018
“He gave Joe Daniher a spray, he spoke to (Michael) Hurley,” Wayne Carey said on Triple M radio at the time.
"If you’re the captain, you go over and grab him and say ‘pull your head in … that’s not your job’.
"That demonstrative behaviour doesn’t help anyone."
Goddard responded to the public outcry, saying “I don’t really care”.
"It's not that important what they think … It happens all the time, particularly on footy fields."
Last year Goddard was caught on television throwing a minor tantrum during half-time of Essendon’s round 11 loss to GWS, smacking bowls of lollies off a table.
Brendon Goddard was not happy at halftime. #AFLGiantsDons pic.twitter.com/VHDuWaRvL3
— AFL (@AFL) June 3, 2017