North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein has revealed he wants to play on beyond 2023 as the Kangaroos ponder how to develop their young talls.
Goldstein plays his 300th AFL game against Gold Coast on Sunday and said he would strongly consider playing on next season even if it meant featuring predominantly for North Melbourne’s VFL side in 2024.
The 34-year-old, who was overlooked for Round 1 by new coach Alastair Clarkson, was spared a long stint in the VFL after an ankle injury sidelined No.1 ruckman Tristan Xerri.
Seizing his opportunity, Goldstein has shown no signs of slowing down in his 17th season, rated elite for hit-outs to advantage with an average of 12 per game.
But he still knows he’s in for a fight for his spot when 24-year-old Xerri returns.
“(The football department) has always been clear that it’s going to be a week-to-week thing,” he said.
“If they feel we need two ruckmen then we can both play, and if not, then I need to do as well as I can to try and hold my spot and if not I’ll go back and perform in the VFL.”
Asked about his surprise omission from the Roos’ season opener, Goldstein said he thought he had “handled it well”.
“It wasn’t a week where we needed two ruckman. I fully understood … you’re upset for a few hours, you deal with it, you talk to your family and friends about it,” he said.
“Then you realise you’ve got a job to do, and that was for me to help Tristan play well in that game and to help our VFL side and our young boys, try to relish that and help the boys as much as I could … I feel like I handled it well and I think I’ve responded.”
At 201cm, Goldstein said he was extremely proud to hold the AFL career hit-outs record over significantly taller opponents including Aaron Sandilands and Max Gawn.
“I already have a business card made up,” he joked about the title.
“It’s something I’m very proud of … I know people don’t often rate hit-outs that highly, but for me it’s about your ruck craft, and it’s not as easy as it looks to get your hand on the ball.
“I feel like a lot of them have gone to the spot that we want them to.”
Goldstein said he would “quite possibly” agree to play on even if his role was purely as a backup to Xerri and the Roos’ other young talls, including Callum Coleman-Jones and Jacob Edwards.
“I haven’t given it too much thought, but it will end up with what’s going to work best for me and my family and for this footy club,” he said.
“I don’t want to get Boomer (North Melbourne games record-holder Brent Harvey) too nervous.
“Hopefully I’ve got plenty more in me – the body’s feeling good, the mind’s feeling good, I’m really enjoying it, so hopefully I’ve got a few more.”
