WILL Brendon Goddard play on in 2019?
Essendon's oldest and most experienced player is having another solid season in the red and black – his sixth at the club since crossing from St Kilda – and has shown he is still a valuable member of the side.
However, he is out of contract, with a decision to be made in coming weeks about his future.
Coach John Worsfold said on Wednesday the Bombers will revisit talks with the 33-year-old before the end of the season to get a gauge on Goddard's plans.
"The discussion with Brendon and the club will happen later in the year. The way he's playing right now, he could still be a valuable part of our squad next year," Worsfold said.
"It will be a collective discussion. I had a chat with Brendon earlier in the year and I will follow up with him over the next month."
At the end of 2012, Goddard became football's first high-profile free agent to change clubs, and he has finished in the top-five of Essendon's best and fairest in all five of his completed seasons. He would be in the running to do that again in 2018.
The 328-gamer has been remarkably durable throughout his career and has played every game this season, averaging 23.5 disposals.
He can play in the midfield or in a sweeping role across half-back, but the Bombers do have young depth in the back-half, with Aaron Francis and Jordan Ridley playing at VFL level and Martin Gleeson to come back into the line-up next year after injury.
Worsfold said the Bombers would need to consider the youth on the list when considering what Goddard could bring next year if he played on.
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"When you look at your list and what you've got available, that's what shapes the decisions you make about your squad going forward," he said.
"We have to weigh up what's on our list, what role Brendon offers us and how we want to use him.
"If I said to him that all those players had gone past him and you're welcome to stay but we'll play you in the VFL all year, he may not decide to want to play on.
"That's an unknown at the moment. At the moment, it's pretty hard for anyone to say they can come in and offer more than what Brendon's doing."
The Bombers head into Saturday's clash with Fremantle with their finals hopes still intact, and could welcome back important pair Orazio Fantasia (adductor) and David Zaharakis (shoulder) from injury.
Kyle Langford has helped fill the midfield void after Zaharakis' round 11 injury, and in the past month he has averaged 21 disposals a game.
Langford is also out of contract at the end of the season, with Worsfold saying talks were progressing to extend the 21-year-old's stay at Tullamarine.
He also praised Langford for learning on the run in his midfield position.
"He's hasn't played a lot of AFL midfield footy. He might've played two games there last year and maybe six there this year, so considering he's in his first dozen games in the midfield in the AFL, I think he's showing a lot of growth," Worsfold said.
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