The fourth Crows player inducted into the Hall of Fame is three-time Club Champion Simon Goodwin.
Few AFL players have been fortunate enough to play in two premierships in their first 25 games.
But Simon Goodwin’s double slice of good luck early in his AFL career with Adelaide was only achieved after some challenging times. Although Goodwin played some solid league football for South Adelaide in 1995, he was not among the 20 South Australians called at that year’s national draft. It seemed his promising cricket career – he captained the State under 19 side – would become his priority. But then Adelaide selected him at the February pre-season draft.
Injuries and illness stopped Goodwin from playing much football at any level in his first year at West Lakes and then the following year he copped a severe thigh injury in his AFL debut. However, he won back his spot later in the season and claimed a premiership medal in his 10th AFL game. A year later he had a second premiership medal.
Goodwin’s break-out year at the highest level was 2000, when he evolved from a half-back flanker into a midfielder. He won his first Club Champion award and was also chosen in the All Australian team for the first time. He won his other Club Champion awards in 2005 and 2006, and was named an All Australian on four other occasions (2001, 2005, 2006, 2009).
He was also captain of the Adelaide Football Club from 2008 to 2010, when he announced his plan to retire early in the season. Unfortunately a lingering ankle injury stopped Goodwin from finishing the season on the field and he shared a farewell lap-of-honour around AAMI Stadium with Andrew McLeod, Trent Hentschel and Brett Burton after the last minor round game. Predictably Goodwin slipped straight into the AFL coaching system. He was an assistant coach at Essendon for four years and is now at Melbourne, where he will replace Paul Roos as senior coach at the end of next season.
Adelaide Football Club service
275 games and 162 goals (1997-2010)
Captain 2008-2010
Member of the 1997 and 1998 Premiership teams
Member of the 2003 Pre-season premiership team
Three-time Club Champion (2000, 2005, 2006)
Michael Tuck Medal winner 2006
All Australian 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2009
Life Member of Adelaide 2005