Experienced Essendon midfielder David Myers has backed in veteran Bomber Brendon Goddard to play on at season’s end.
Goddard – who has played a remarkable 325 senior games – showed he has lost none of his ability in an impressive performance in the side’s strong victory over West Coast last Thursday, and Myers said he would love for Goddard to stay at The Hangar.
“From a personal point of view, I can’t speak highly enough of BJ (Goddard). The impact he’s had on me personally and the club in general since he’s come has been really profound,” Myers said on SEN on Monday.
“The boys love him and he’s played such an important role not only with his output in terms of his impact on games, but the intangible stuff. The leadership aspect and his experience and how he sees the game I think is pretty widely respected and second to none.
“If he’s fit and healthy and, most importantly, he’s got the passion and the want to go again I see no reason why he shouldn’t and I’d love to play with him for as long as I can.”
The team’s impressive victory last week made it four wins from Essendon’s last five outings and Myers said he always had faith that the side could find its best form after a disappointing start to the season.
“Internally we’ve always been pretty confident in terms of the talent that we have on the list, it was just trying to get everyone to mesh together in a way that would lead to us playing better complete games and you get the results after that,” he said.
“The reality is the team changed a fair bit this year as to how it’s been over the last year or two anyway.
“We’ve worked through that, the guys just stuck at it and it’s good that we’ve started to get some results on the board, some reward for effort.”
Sunday’s Tackling Childhood Cancer Game against North Melbourne will raise crucial funds and awareness for Challenge, which helps support children and families living with cancer.
22 children will run out onto Etihad Stadium with the team this weekend and Myers said the occasion “puts footy in perspective”.
“There’s a lot of attention on football and how it gets built up and the importance of it, but there’s a lot more going on in the world.
“These kids show far more courage than any of us do day in, day out. So it’s a small part we can play and try and raise as much money as we can.
“The kids will be running out on the ground with us on the weekend, which is great. Any small part we can play is awesome, that’s one of the benefits of footy is that you can shine a light on others that need a bit of help.”
