Reflections

[damienc]

I am on the record for singing the praises of Scott Watters. I think he is an astute coach and he has changed the team game plan for the better in my view. But it is interesting to see who has flourished and who has fallen by the wayside, players I mean, in his first year as coach. He has certainly been good for the likes of Rhys and David Armitage. That has been the revelation for me. Armitage struggled to get a regular game under Ross Lyon but he has been one the stars this year. Similarly the Saad's, Milera and Wilkes make you think they are going to go on to bigger and better things. Which leads me to Brendan Goddard. No doubt BJ is a great player but I would not say he has thrived under the Watters tutelage. I will go out on a limb and say that BJ had one of his worst seasons with the club in terms of consistency and his high standards. I wonder if the chemistry between him and the coach isn't right and I wonder if that might be a reason why he will exit the club apart from the money and a long term contract. Maybe the feeling is mutual. I am not saying Watters would want to lose a player of the calibre of Goddard but he did not deliver this year in the way that we all know he can. So worse case scenario his departure might create opportunities to rebuild. If Goddard is never going to play the way we know he can with Watters as coach then quite frankly we are better off without him as much as it pains me to say.

[Richter]

From http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pc-s ... on-goddard

Stats-wise BJ's 2009-2010 season were clearly a stand-out, but he dropped last year and this year again is at the same level as last.

[tweedaletomanning]

Didn't he come 4th in the b&f which is basically a coaches award?

[Saints43]

IWhich leads me to Brendan Goddard. No doubt BJ is a great player but I would not say he has thrived under the Watters tutelage. I will go out on a limb and say that BJ had one of his worst seasons with the club in terms of consistency and his high standards.

I think that BJ spent more time away from the defensive distribution role early this year. And it turns out that is the only role he plays he really well. He's in ineffectual forward and can't get his hands on it in the centre.

And, I think that is probably the problem with contract discussions between BJ & the club. He can only do one thing really well (on a consistent basis) and it's not one of the hardest roles to fill in a footy team.

[Moods]

IWhich leads me to Brendan Goddard. No doubt BJ is a great player but I would not say he has thrived under the Watters tutelage. I will go out on a limb and say that BJ had one of his worst seasons with the club in terms of consistency and his high standards.

I think that BJ spent more time away from the defensive distribution role early this year. And it turns out that is the only role he plays he really well. He's in ineffectual forward and can't get his hands on it in the centre.

And, I think that is probably the problem with contract discussions between BJ & the club. He can only do one thing really well (on a consistent basis) and it's not one of the hardest roles to fill in a footy team.

Agree completely. He can play midfield well - as long as no-one tags him. Even earlier in the year against the hawks I was very frustrated when Puopolo, who is barely even an average AFL footballer, beat him hands down in a one on one situation to ice the game.

Having said all this, I disagree with the OP. BJ had an ordinary year last year as well when watters wasn't at the club. Not sure his form has anything to do with the coaches, but with BJ himself.

Whilst I'm on record not being at all satisfied with BJ's output this year, we also should remember that he was rated our 4th best player this year by the club. His year, according to the club, was no where near as bad as what some of us (me included) believe.

[gringo]

I'm a conspiracy theorist and we bumped him up for a better outcome in the FT compo. He has always struggled when played on somebody, his best forward work are running off his man with an element of surprise. The fact that his best footy was as a spare player loading up as a quarterback with Sam Fisher along side to take the role if Goddard was manned up.

He is elite with his disposal and contests hard when he is free but Scott has asked him to do things differently and his best footy this year was as an accountable tagging role playing the hunter not the hunted. He will never be a FF as he needs to be free of his man and would never get space there these days. Hope he has a good career where ever he goes as I still love the way he plays but don't think he will be there any more now.

[Sick Nal Danto]

Brendon plays best when he doesn't have a direct opponent, which Watters tried to change. Sadly it is probably too late, but he can still be an un-contested superstar if he is surrounded by players who get more attention.

I have always wondered why he has played so well against Collingwood, and it's now glaringly obvious......they don't tag.

I think this had a major impact on the way we all view Brendon. We'll never forget his heroics in the GF's but i have a feeling had it been a team other than Collingwood, he wouldn't of had such an immense influence.

[Moods]

Brendon plays best when he doesn't have a direct opponent, which Watters tried to change. Sadly it is probably too late, but he can still be an un-contested superstar if he is surrounded by players who get more attention.

I have always wondered why he has played so well against Collingwood, and it's now glaringly obvious......they don't tag.

I think this had a major impact on the way we all view Brendon. We'll never forget his heroics in the GF's but i have a feeling had it been a team other than Collingwood, he wouldn't of had such an immense influence.

He did play well in the 09 GF as well though. Having said that, our midfield that year was loaded up with players who were almost all coming off career best years and were all AA's. Lenny, Dal, Joey. BJ ran through there but didn't start there that often. He didn't get tagged I reckon cos clubs didn't know which end of the ground he would start. Too hard to plan for. Wait and see how the game unfolded and then deal with him then. Dal has always been the first player the opposition goes to, then Lenny, then sometimes Joey. If BJ is going to a club with a weakish midfield, he'd want to be ready for some attention......

[Con Gorozidis]

From http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pc-s ... on-goddard

Stats-wise BJ's 2009-2010 season were clearly a stand-out, but he dropped last year and this year again is at the same level as last.

Possibly this was due to his mind-set. Everyone (except a few die-hard sainters) knew the Saints were no chance in 2012 so the players must know in their back of their mind which can become a disease. Maybe he was only going 90% this year.

I guess we will see how he goes next year at Bomberland or wherever he goes.

[Moods]

Gee I'm glad Robert Harvey never thought like that. To be honest I'd like to think BJ has more professional pride than that Con. If he doesn't maybe he should leave.
J