ST KILDA has chosen not to match Essendon's offer for Brendon Goddard - a four-year deal thought to be close to $750,000 a season.

In a statement released on Monday afternoon, St Kilda confirmed the veteran would not be at the Saints in 2013.

"We made a significant offer to Brendon that was relative to both his position and other players within the team," St Kilda's head of football Chris Pelchen said.

"While we are disappointed at his decision to leave the Saints, we are absolutely committed to our 'team first' philosophy in relation to player contracts.

"While we were keen to retain Brendon's services, the club respects his right to exercise his options under new free agency rules."

Goddard will join Essendon on a four-year deal.

Essendon coach James Hird and chief executive Ian Robson will hold a joint press conference at 1pm on Tuesday to herald Goddard's arrival at Windy Hill.

Goddard played 205 games for St Kilda.

Earlier on Monday, Goddard's manager Dan Richardson said the Saints were unlikely to match the Bombers' offer.

"I think it is unlikely," Richardson said on Gillette AFL Trade Radio when asked about the prospect of the Saints matching the Bombers' bid for the veteran.

Richardson rejected the notion that St Kilda's offer was an indication they did not want the 27-year-old.

"The amount of money in question, when a club makes the offer that they have, that's not an offer that suggests that they want him to go," Richardson said.

"I don't follow the theory that they wanted him to leave.

"I know that they made every effort to retain Brendon. There were other opportunities put in front of him that [Brendon] has elected to pursue and that's balanced in with the position that St Kilda are in. I certainly don't think that they pushed him out the door."

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