In a scathing assessment of an incident on Saturday night, Brereton also said Goodes had form for such contact and preferred to use his legs rather than put his head over the ball if facing heavy a body-on-body duel.
On Monday, the AFL Match Review Panel cleared Goodes of the incident, saying he was making a legitimate attempt to kick the ball.
Brereton strongly criticised the verdict and claimed the Swans utility enjoys a "good run" from the panel.
Goodes and Gibson tangled legs as the ball was in dispute near the boundary during the MCG match. The Hawks defender limped from the field, but returned and played out the match.
"Adam Goodes, as is his penchant ... lunges forward with a foot," Brereton said on SEN radio.
"To me, he knew exactly what he was doing and he chopped out Josh Gibson's leg.
"Quite possibly, that action can ruin somebody's career.
"In English football, that is a leg chop - that is red card stuff."
Brereton described Goodes as a champion person and an even better footballer - but also said the two-time Brownlow medallist was prone to using his legs in such situations.
"He's a champion - he's gutsy at playing with his own injuries," Brereton said.
"But when it comes to putting his head over the ball and copping body on body, he chooses to go feet-first at other people's peril.
"There is a lot of courage in Adam Goodes. But the gladiatorial-type courage of copping one big to the head - Goodes goes feet-first."
Brereton added Gibson was furious when he went to the bench after Saturday's incident.
"Gibson called him every name under the sun when he came to the bench," he said.
"Gibson was in no doubt that Goodes tried to take him out by going feet-first."
He also did not hold back when discussing the panel's finding.
"There is an enormous amount of leniency here to Adam Goodes," Brereton said.
"They don't want to put him out ... he gets a good run.
"The people who have made this adjudication don't understand the moment.
"He tried to trip him."
Brereton said he expects to be accused of hypocrisy, given his long list of suspensions as a player.
"To that end, I understand what makes a person do that," he said.
