For the first time in his 14-year career, Goodes experienced the pain of a soft tissue injury in 2012, with a torn quad keeping him out for five games. 

By that stage, he had already passed Michael O’Loughlin to become the Swans’ games record-holder, but the injury affected his form after he returned in round 13. 

Gradually returning to his best, the dual Brownlow medallist put together a brilliant finals campaign, somehow putting aside a torn knee ligament early in the Grand Final to help Sydney win the flag. 

Kicking over 35 goals for the fourth straight year, Goodes is seemingly ready to add plenty more to his 319 career games.

Draft history: 1997 National AFL Draft 3rd round selection (Sydney) No. 43 overall.

2013 Coaches Call

2012 was a bit of a mixture. He started the year really well and then his injury slowed him down a little bit and it took him a little while to get back from that form-wise. He’d probably say himself that he was below par for the back-end of the year, but then in the finals he showed us how much of an important player he is to this club.

Pre-season has been injury interrupted after the Grand Final. His knee has taken a little while to heal and it was slow going before Christmas, but after Christmas and since he’s been running, he’s coming up to speed pretty quickly and he is now back on the track.

We hope in 2013 that he keeps going as he’s done his whole career. We hope he gets back into full fitness and gets back on the park and gets a good run with injury and plays well and leads from the front.