Adam Goodes Biography

Barry Hall steps down as co-captain of Sydney after meeting with the Swans leadership group citing a need to focus on returning to form after a disappointing season as the reason for his decision.

"It would have been the easy decision and a cop out to stay captain," said Hall. "I still want to perform to my maximum and this is the first step towards being able to do that. I need to put a lot of time into myself to get myself right. I'm getting on now and the body's not as resilient and easily able to do things like it used to."

Following Halls resignation, skipper Leo Barry declares his endorsement of dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes as the ideal replacement for Hall in the Swans' three captain policy. "The way he conducts himself on and off the ground is really good. And he's definitely one of the guys that's improved in all areas over the last few seasons," Barry said of Goodes.

Adam Goodes reveals he was racially abused during an AFL game in 2002 by one of the game's elite players.

Goodes says he was called "a f------ monkey-looking c---" by the player during a game at the SCG.

"I was shocked because he is one of the highest-profile players in football, held up as a role model," Goodes said.

"I reported the incident; it took a while for it to sink in and, by the time the player - who admitted his actions - called me to apologise, as per the first phase of mediation, I was so angry I could barely speak to him. Actually, I blasted him for 15 minutes.

"I honestly believe that the person was very sorry for what they said to me.

"That person is very clear about how it made me feel and how it might make someone else feel. I would be very surprised if that player would say anything like that ever again."

Goodes, however, would not identify the player saying that he would prefer to focus on the positives of the mediation process.

"Mentioning the player or the club just goes to finger-pointing. What really happened is a good story of someone saying something in the heat of the moment, which happens, me reporting it, mediation, and a good, positive result."

Dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes has been promoted to a co-captain at AFL club Sydney for 2009.

The Swans are the last remaining club to field co-captains, but skipper Adam Goodes believes the model is the best.

"Why not have three different captains on the field at any point in time and three captains to share the media and off-field responsibilities?" Goodes said.

"What better reward for a bloke in the leadership group to know there’s three chances for him to become captain of his football club?"

Adam Goodes and Lance Franklin fight over who will be the bigger drawcard at ANZ Stadium this weekend when the Swans take on the Hawks.

Adam Goodes is the latest name to be added to Lion Joel Patfull's list of big-name victims after his team's win over the Swans on Saturday night.

Sydney players, shocked by the backlash against Barry Hall after the loss to premiership favourite Geelong, say he is the victim of his high profile.

Hall has received heavy criticism for failing to register a kick after halftime.

"There is an easy story there to say, 'Well, Hally didn't touch the footy in the second half, so it must be his fault'," teammate Adam Goodes said yesterday.

"I certainly didn't look at Barry's performance and think, 'Oh, what was he doing?'. Our service to Barry and our forward line was very, very poor . . . it was deplorable."

His team lost to Geelong, but Adam Goodes says it was what he needed to get his season on track.

"I was just happy to contribute. I think the last couple of weeks I haven't been able to get out there and contribute and to play a role," he said.

"To get some clearances and to get the ball into our forward line was a really big goal for me and to break the line and just felt really strong and solid out there was really pleasing."

Adam Goodes and Michael O'Loughlin throw their support behind the idea of holding a mid-season All Stars game.

"It would be fantastic," Goodes said. "I know in the middle of the season I would be fit and raring to go to play it. I reckon if you rotated it, and had the All Stars game one year, then had the Victoria versus SA Dream Team game the next, I'm all for that."

"I think all the brothers would jump at that chance if they put a game on mid-season," O'Loughlin said.

"Each and every one of them, they are so proud to play in that All Star game in Darwin."

Swans star Adam Goodes says a return to meditation helped him refocus after a form slump and says he relishes his leadership role at the club.

"I love the responsibility of being one of the co-captains," he said.

"I think I was taking on more things in my mind than I needed to - trying to get other players up, making sure that I did everything and everybody else did everything when they should just worry about getting themselves ready.

"It just took me a while to know my role and know what responsibilities I could take out on to the ground without over-clouding my mind."

The super Swan is finding greater numbers in '09 and doesn't have the in-team competition of other fancies.

Statistics show that Goodes has won more of the football in 2009 than in either of his medal-winning years. More importantly, he has made opposition teams pay when he has gained possession.

"I know that wasn't his Brownlow year, but the back end of 2007 was probably the best footy I've seen him play," Sydney assistant coach John Longmire said on Thursday.

"While he's probably not at those heights, he's certainly been a really consistent performer for us."

Adam Goodes is attracting strong interest from punters who believe he is on track to win his third Brownlow Medal.

"We are always wary of him because he would poll votes if he was the interchange steward," Gerard Daffy of SportsAlive said.

Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos says Adam Goodes can improve his already stellar reputation with a move to the forward line.

"Where he's played his best football has been as a midfielder but if you looked at his game last weekend against Richmond, he had seven shots at goal [as a key forward] and really dominated that position," he said.

"He can have an enormous impact over the next two or three years if we continue to play him in that role."

Adam Goodes will become the second fastest player to reach 250-game milestone when the Swans take on Geelong at ANZ Stadium this week.

Goodes has two more years to run on his contract and is on track to possibly hit the 300-game milestone by the end of it.

"The way the body's feeling at the moment, I'll be playing out those two years and hopefully we'll see how we go after that," he said.

"I've been very lucky with injuries through my career and hopefully I can keep lucky and maybe play in the forward line and last a bit longer."

Dual Brownlow Medallist Adam Goodes says the transfer from Paul Roos to John Longmire wil ensure the Bloods' culture goes on.

"What we've started with Roosy six or seven years ago, we want to keep up at this footy club," Goodes said.

"This culture we've started, we don't want it to change and we want it to keep building on it.

"Having 'Horse' (Longmire) take over at the end of next season ensures that this culture, this brand of footy and what we started a long time ago will stay on and bypass a lot of us at this footy club."

Adam Goodes urges his teammates to rally for retiring Swans Michael O'Loughlin, Leo Barry and Jared Crouch in their final game for the club against Brisbane.

"I really want to enjoy it, and the only way you can really enjoy it is winning games of football and really trying hard," Goodes said.

"I really hope the blokes switch on and learn from what's happened today and give 110 per cent next week for four quarters.

"I know that's what I'll be aiming to do and I just hope that everyone else can do that for 'Mickey O', Leo and 'Crouchie'."

Lewis Jetta was expecting to be picked up by Sydney after having a chat with Adam Goodes prior to the 2009 NAB AFL draft.

"He told me good luck and said something about pick 14," Jetta said at his first day of training at his new club.

"I did not believe him until when I had my name called out and I was thinking in my head, 'You just spoiled the moment Goodesy'. I wanted to be surprised ... but it is alright, I am here now."

Adam Goodes is taking indigenous recruits Lewis Jetta and Byron Sumner under his wing, much like Michael O'Loughlin did with him.

"It was fantastic. We haven't had any new Aboriginal brothers at the club for a while and to get Byron Sumner and Leroy Jetta - two quality kids - is great," Goodes said.

"I'll look after those boys and encourage them along, just the same as the other boys, but it's good to have a little more brotherly love around the place."

Adam Goodes says he will need to re-invent himself as a centre half-forward in 2010 after spending most of his career in the ruck and midfield.

"I'm in the forward line to play a role for our team. If I'm doing my job right with my leading patterns, the ball will be kicked to me, but I'm hopefully creating space and forcing other players to lead, creating opportunities for them as well," Goodes said.