Bill Goddard (footballer)
Encyclopedia
William 'Bill' Goddard (born 24 February 1880) was an Australian rules football
er who played for South Melbourne
, Carlton
and St Kilda in the Victorian Football League
(VFL).
A late comer to VFL football, Goddard played a game for South Fremantle
in 1900 and spent five years at North Fremantle before going to Victoria. He had previously visited the eastern state in 1904 when he toured with the Western Australian interstate football team.
Goddard, who was a centreman, performed well in his first season at South Melbourne but missed out on a place in their 1907 Grand Final
team. He crossed to Carlton after two years and would be used by the club as a defender.
In a tumultuous season for Carlton, which began with the sacking of coach Jack Worrall
and ended with two players suspended for taking bribes, they still managed to make the Grand Final. This time Goddard was picked for the Grand Final and played the premiership decider from the back pocket
, as Carlton went down to Collingwood
by 14 points.
Goddard continued to play in the WAFL well into his 30s and was a member of East Fremantle
's 1914 premiership side. His final season was in 1918 and only an injury stopped him from ending his career with another premiership, with East Fremantle winning that year's Grand Final.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played for South Melbourne
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
, Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
and St Kilda in the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(VFL).
A late comer to VFL football, Goddard played a game for South Fremantle
South Fremantle Football Club
The South Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, playing in the West Australian Football League...
in 1900 and spent five years at North Fremantle before going to Victoria. He had previously visited the eastern state in 1904 when he toured with the Western Australian interstate football team.
Goddard, who was a centreman, performed well in his first season at South Melbourne but missed out on a place in their 1907 Grand Final
1907 VFL Grand Final
The 1907 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and South Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 21 September 1907. It was the 10th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
team. He crossed to Carlton after two years and would be used by the club as a defender.
In a tumultuous season for Carlton, which began with the sacking of coach Jack Worrall
Jack Worrall
John "Jack" Worrall was an Australian rules footballer for Fitzroy in the VFA and a test cricketer, a coach of both sports and a sporting journalist....
and ended with two players suspended for taking bribes, they still managed to make the Grand Final. This time Goddard was picked for the Grand Final and played the premiership decider from the back pocket
Back pocket
In Australian rules football, the back pocket refers to a position on the field deep in defence.Back pocket players, situated in the backline, need to have good spoiling skills and usually, quality back-pockets are noted for their hardness....
, as Carlton went down to Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
by 14 points.
Goddard continued to play in the WAFL well into his 30s and was a member of East Fremantle
East Fremantle Football Club
The East Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Sharks, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The team's home ground is East Fremantle Oval...
's 1914 premiership side. His final season was in 1918 and only an injury stopped him from ending his career with another premiership, with East Fremantle winning that year's Grand Final.