Bombers deny job claim
Essendon says claims that Brendon Goddard was offered a post-football job in his contract talks with the Dons are wrong
ESSENDON has denied claims that former chairman Ray Horsburgh offered Brendon Goddard a job as the Bombers attempted to lure the St Kilda veteran to Windy Hill.
Goddard signed a four-year deal with Essendon on Monday.
Horsburgh, the chairman of Toll, confirmed the offer in the Herald Sun.
The Bombers released a statement on Tuesday morning calling the claims "factually incorrect".
"Essendon Football Club wishes to clarify comments made today in relation to Brendon Goddard by former chairman Ray Horsburgh and journalist Mark Robinson in the Herald Sun," the statement read.
"At no stage has the club received or discussed any employment matter with Brendon other than his playing contract with the club.
"The suggestion that a third party or related party deal has been tabled to help secure Brendon is factually incorrect.
"The club has never and will never publicly disclose contractual and employment arrangements for its players and staff and refutes the unsubstantiated comments made today, as they are categorically false."
Horsburgh said he made the employment offer to Essendon's current chairman David Evans.
"We told David Evans we can offer some work, but I'm not sure if they are going to go ahead with it," Horsburgh said.
"It's been thrown into the mix, but it hasn't been finalised or accepted yet. When David Evans and 'Bomber' (Mark Thompson) and others were going for him, we said we could do something.
"But in all honesty they haven't come back yet. I don't know if they have talked to (Goddard) about it yet."
Brendon Goddard's manager Dan Richardson denied an offer of outside employment with Toll was part of the Bombers deal.
AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said any new contract would have to be cleared by AFL investigations officer Ken Wood and that the League would not provide a running update on any investigations.
"That will be a matter for Ken to determine if he feels the need to take it any further," Keane said.
"That's where we are at the moment."
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