Simon Goodwin has been around for as long as I can remember. When the Crows first captivated me, as a six-year-old in 1997, ‘Goody’ was playing in his first season of AFL footy. Since then he’s gone on to play 258 games, captain the club he loves for three seasons and become one of the club’s most reliable players.
And that’s what Goody was to me, Mr Reliable. You could always count on him racking up 20 plus possessions from the backline. He was never the flashiest of players but his iconic long left foot kick would rarely let us down. It also came in handy 160 times in front of goal.
Brett Burton is an interesting one. He has frustrated fans at times with his flamboyant and downright puzzling moves on the footy field but ultimately he was the AFL’s highest flier who brought a ton of joy and excitement to the game.
Drafted at pick 16 in the 1998 AFL draft I once wondered whether we would ever see the ‘Birdman’ take out the AFL’s Mark of The Year award. But true to his bird-like ability he took the most amazing mark in round 22 last year at Etihad Stadium. Although I was happy the side steamrolled the Blues and were looking in good touch for the finals I was even more chuffed that one of the nicest guys had finally succeeded in what he was seemingly born to do.
Trent Hentschel’s story is one filled with much hope and sadness. He had a slow start to his career in his first couple of seasons but was beginning to live up to his nickname, Trent ‘Potential’, in 2006. I can vividly remember his career high eight-goal haul against Essendon before he badly injured his knee 11 rounds later against Port Adelaide.
The following week I wrote Trent a letter wishing him all the best for his recovery and he was kind enough to reply a couple of months later. From then on I closely watched him over two hot summers down at West Lakes hoping that he could make it back to the AFL and fulfil his potential. Unfortunately though he could only play a handful of games before injuries struck him down.
Trent will always hold a special spot Crows fans’ hearts for showing such great determination and courage to get back on the park and also grace and humility in conceding that his body was not cut out for the rigours of AFL any more.
While I will miss these three players a lot there is no one I will miss more than Andrew McLeod.
I find it hard to imagine the Crows without ‘Macca’. Like Goody he has always just been there. McLeod is without a shadow of a doubt the greatest footballer I’ve ever seen. His skills are out of this world. Doubled with his blistering pace I’ve loved every silky smooth run of his down the wing. With the ball tucked under his arm he would leave every opposition player in his wake. You always knew the ball was in safe hands when it was in Macca’s mits.
He was also something special in front of goal booting 275 in his record 340 games. How was that goal he kicked in the dying minutes against Collingwood at the Dome round 2, 2005? A kick on his non-preferred left foot pushed up on the boundary line in front of the Pies’ cheer squad was pure football bliss. “Don’t tell me, don’t tell me!” Were Gary Lyon’s famous and fitting words on the Channel Nine commentary that Sunday afternoon.
Not only is McLeod a sight to be seen on the field he is the most humble and kind player I’ve met off it. He’s always had all the time in the world for fans no matter how big or small, young and old. While the old Crows Shed was in its glory days in the mid 2000s he would make it back after every game and always took the most amount of time out of anyone to sign autographs, take photos and meet the Crows’ faithful.
It will take some getting used to without these four greats around come the first day of pre season training. But as Goody said after the win over the Saints on Saturday, we are entering a new era and can expect some exciting times ahead.
I can’t wait to see the likes of Dangerfield, Davis, Sloane, Henderson, Jaensch, Martin, Otten, Petrenko, Sellar, Walker and Young grow as footballers. Hopefully we’ll unearth the next Goody, Birdman, Rowdy or Macca in the years to come.
