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Primed to deliver the Goodes
By Jenny McAsey
February 13, 2004
ADAM GOODES has watched the Brownlow Medal curse strike previous winners but is pretty sure it won't get him.
The burden of extra attention from opponents and extra celebrity has at times got the better of players as gifted as Hawthorn captain Shane Crawford and Demon-turned-Magpie Shane Woewodin after their Brownlow wins.
Even Brisbane Lions dynamo Jason Akermanis admitted the coveted medal can be a cross to bear.
But Sydney's Goodes, who tied with Adelaide captain Mark Ricciuto and Collingwood's Nathan Buckley last September, believes he is a different case.
During a pre-season of pain made worse by Sydney's recent bout of hot, humid weather, Goodes has concluded his role as a versatile running ruckman will help him avoid the Brownlow blues that hit players like Crawford.
"They've all been small midfielders and obviously there are other players out there whose job is just to stop them. So it's a lot harder for those guys to back it up every year and every game because their opponents aren't going for the ball," Goodes said.
"That's where I think I'm at an advantage. With my position in the side, I'm playing against bigger ruckmen so I still have an edge when the ball hits the ground.
"Then if they do decide to man me up, they have to take their bigger ruckmen off. It works out that they have to re-arrange their side to match up on me.
"There are a lot of positives from winning the Brownlow and I don't think it means the next year you're going to have a bad year. I'm sure the intensity of your opponents will lift a bit because if they can beat you that's a nice pat on the back for them. But I am a harder match-up than the other type of midfielders."
Playing and living in Sydney, the AFL celebrity circuit is not likely to be too big a distraction, either. Goodes says people recognise him in the Harbour City, but mainly because he is one of the Swans' two Aboriginal players (along with his cousin Michael O'Loughlin), and not because he won the competition's biggest individual prize.
He has earned some kudos, though, after taking his mum, Lisa May, as his date to footy's night of nights. "A lot of people have come up and said what a great gesture it was taking mum. I got the brownie points there," Goodes laughs.
He is only 24, but Goodes is a serious young man who doesn't take his responsibilities lightly. Twelve months ago he was peeved he wasn't elected to the Swans' 10-player leadership group and used it as a spur to play consistently good football and earn the respect of his team-mates.
This year he got the reward he wanted as much as any other when his peers voted him on to the leadership list. But there is no resting on his accolades. He has not missed a pre-season training session and has improved his 1km and 3km times, as well as working on his contested marking and goal-kicking.
"My motivation is wanting to be better and wanting success as a team. It was bad not being in the leadership group last year but I got over it and I knew what I had to do, and this year I have to play consistent football again. That's what makes really good players, they can do it over 10 years. You don't get remembered for one season.
"There are a lot of areas I can improve, including my ruckwork, even though I was voted All-Australian ruckman."
The Swans play Essendon at picturesque North Sydney Oval tomorrow, and most of the big-name players from both teams, including Sydney's Barry Hall and O'Loughlin and Bomber captain James Hird, will be resting in the shade of the ground's famous Moreton Bay figs.
But not Goodes. "All this pre-season training doesn't count for much if you can't go out there and get a kick in the real stuff," he said. "I've played that game every year, I don't see just because I won the Brownlow why I wouldn't. I don't want to be rested during the pre-season."
By Jenny McAsey
February 13, 2004
ADAM GOODES has watched the Brownlow Medal curse strike previous winners but is pretty sure it won't get him.
The burden of extra attention from opponents and extra celebrity has at times got the better of players as gifted as Hawthorn captain Shane Crawford and Demon-turned-Magpie Shane Woewodin after their Brownlow wins.
Even Brisbane Lions dynamo Jason Akermanis admitted the coveted medal can be a cross to bear.
But Sydney's Goodes, who tied with Adelaide captain Mark Ricciuto and Collingwood's Nathan Buckley last September, believes he is a different case.
During a pre-season of pain made worse by Sydney's recent bout of hot, humid weather, Goodes has concluded his role as a versatile running ruckman will help him avoid the Brownlow blues that hit players like Crawford.
"They've all been small midfielders and obviously there are other players out there whose job is just to stop them. So it's a lot harder for those guys to back it up every year and every game because their opponents aren't going for the ball," Goodes said.
"That's where I think I'm at an advantage. With my position in the side, I'm playing against bigger ruckmen so I still have an edge when the ball hits the ground.
"Then if they do decide to man me up, they have to take their bigger ruckmen off. It works out that they have to re-arrange their side to match up on me.
"There are a lot of positives from winning the Brownlow and I don't think it means the next year you're going to have a bad year. I'm sure the intensity of your opponents will lift a bit because if they can beat you that's a nice pat on the back for them. But I am a harder match-up than the other type of midfielders."
Playing and living in Sydney, the AFL celebrity circuit is not likely to be too big a distraction, either. Goodes says people recognise him in the Harbour City, but mainly because he is one of the Swans' two Aboriginal players (along with his cousin Michael O'Loughlin), and not because he won the competition's biggest individual prize.
He has earned some kudos, though, after taking his mum, Lisa May, as his date to footy's night of nights. "A lot of people have come up and said what a great gesture it was taking mum. I got the brownie points there," Goodes laughs.
He is only 24, but Goodes is a serious young man who doesn't take his responsibilities lightly. Twelve months ago he was peeved he wasn't elected to the Swans' 10-player leadership group and used it as a spur to play consistently good football and earn the respect of his team-mates.
This year he got the reward he wanted as much as any other when his peers voted him on to the leadership list. But there is no resting on his accolades. He has not missed a pre-season training session and has improved his 1km and 3km times, as well as working on his contested marking and goal-kicking.
"My motivation is wanting to be better and wanting success as a team. It was bad not being in the leadership group last year but I got over it and I knew what I had to do, and this year I have to play consistent football again. That's what makes really good players, they can do it over 10 years. You don't get remembered for one season.
"There are a lot of areas I can improve, including my ruckwork, even though I was voted All-Australian ruckman."
The Swans play Essendon at picturesque North Sydney Oval tomorrow, and most of the big-name players from both teams, including Sydney's Barry Hall and O'Loughlin and Bomber captain James Hird, will be resting in the shade of the ground's famous Moreton Bay figs.
But not Goodes. "All this pre-season training doesn't count for much if you can't go out there and get a kick in the real stuff," he said. "I've played that game every year, I don't see just because I won the Brownlow why I wouldn't. I don't want to be rested during the pre-season."
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