Goodes, Malceski weigh up their AFL futures
Adam Goodes was asked if the fire still burned in him enough to think about extending his stellar AFL career.
“The fire still burns …,” he replied, briefly considering the question.
“It can’t help but burn after that loss.”
Goodes and Sydney teammate Nick Malceski said on Sunday that they will take their time before deciding their futures.
• Making sense of the grand final madness
• When Buddy met Hodgey: that kiss explained
AFL legend Leigh Matthews thinks Goodes should retire, while Malceski also has a big decision to make after the best season of his career.
Malceski now becomes an unrestricted free agent after the 30-year-old defender made the All-Australian team for the first time.
The pair were among very few Sydney players who played well in Saturday’s stunning grand final loss to Hawthorn.
Goodes and Malceski said separately at Sunday morning’s Swans fans gathering in Melbourne that they would have to think about what happens next.
“Whether it was a win or a loss, I’m still going to take the time to think what I’m going to do next year,” Goodes said.
“What happens with the group next year, whether I’m there or not, we can’t accept that (loss).”
Goodes, the two-time Brownlow Medallist, is 34 and has played 351 senior games.
Matthews said on Sunday that the time was right for Goodes to retire.
“I must admit, if I was giving him advice, I don’t know whether he should be playing on. I reckon it’s time probably to finish,” Matthews told the Seven Network on Sunday.
“His last couple of games, yesterday he was pretty good, the preliminary final he was very good.
“But I thought most of the year has looked like yeah, it’s just about time to say `well, I’m off my peak, I might be on the fringe of whether I’m in their best team’.
“And that is the time for me when really good players decide to stop playing.”
Swans coach John Longmire said the decision would be completely up to Goodes.
Malceski said he would speak to his family over the next couple of weeks before deciding what to do next.
“I haven’t had time to think about yesterday’s game, to be honest with you,” he said.
“We didn’t perform how we wanted to and we’re just disappointed with how we played.”