Fremantle appears the likely destination for St. Kilda restricted free agent Brendon Goddard, should the star Saint want to continue his career elsewhere.
6PR Sports Journalist Peter Vlahos reported during the week that a deal has been agreed to by Fremantle and Goddard which would see the Saint join the harbour club in 2013 on a four-year contract.
The deal is reportedly believed to be just under a $1 million a year but cannot be signed until the free agent period opens on October 1.
The Dockers have made no secret in their free agent ambitions, and with Collingwood forward Travis Cloke wanting to remain in Melbourne, now appear to have turned their attention to the St. Kilda veteran.
Last month Saints coach Scott Watters announced that former number one draft pick would explore free agency at the end of the year but also indicated that he was a required player and that St. Kilda had offered a contract.
Goddard has been touted as the next captain of the Saints, but Watters said the position wouldn’t be offered to entice him to remain with the club.
Recently, Hawthorn legend Dermott Brereton commented that Goddard had received an offer from a rival club that was “too good to refuse”.
The move to Fremantle would reunite the two-time All Australian with coach Ross Lyon who was at the helm of St. Kilda during their grand finals years in 2009 and 2010.
To further feed into the speculation, a membership enquiry at the Perth Royal Gold Club was recently taken under the name ‘Brendon Goddard’, with the Saint a well-known golf enthusiast.
Under the new AFL free agency rules, restricted free agents can have any offer from a rival team matched by their current club, however the Dockers reported offer is big enough to prevent the Saint’s from having the salary cap space to match.
Goddard wouldn’t be the first St. Kilda player to move to Fremantle after the arrival of Lyon. Key defender Zac Dawson joined the Dockers this year after three seasons with the Saints.
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