IT WOULDN'T take a genius to work out that Adam Goodes is one of the best role models for young kids in our game.

He's got a pair of Brownlows and two club best-and-fairest medals. He has twice been an All Australian, he's the ultimate professional when it comes to preparing himself for a game, he's a highly respected leader in the indigenous community, and not only does he show those silky skills each week, tomorrow he will showcase his remarkable resilience when he runs out for his 200th consecutive game.

Goodesy is a true role model on and off the park, but one area that doesn't get much publicity, and it's pretty significant, is the role he plays in helping some of the younger players get through what can be a tough battle of being hard at the ball, a trait which is crucial at our club.

You would never see Goodesy pull out of a contest. Every week he's in there doing the hard stuff with his head over the ball, and despite putting his body on the line each week for the past 199 games, he's been able to back up for the very next match.

But where Goodesy has been able to really help some of the younger guys turn it around involves toughness. When he first started, there was a question mark over his hardness and commitment over the footy. I remember being at St Kilda at the time when he first broke into senior footy, and there was a belief there that while he was obviously very talented, it was thought he was a bit soft and that was something I know we tried to target.

It's quite strange looking back at that time now. Have a look at him today, at what he's achieved in the game, it's hard to believe that could ever have been the case.

But no one ever wants to be perceived as soft and Goodesy didn't want people having that perception of him. I remember he started to put on a bit of weight, and got more confidence in himself, and that all showed in his footy. Of course, he started to mature as a footballer, too.

Someone who is soft doesn't do the things he's been able to do in our game, and you certainly don't play 200 games in a row. That's resilience. I know there have been plenty of times when he's had injuries and times when he shouldn't have played, but he did, got through them, and he played well in those games.

It's been a phenomenal effort from a phenomenal footy player, and hopefully the boys can get a win in Adelaide to celebrate the amazing milestone with him.

So many times in our sport you see lots of guys with talent that don't get the most out if for various different reasons. But not Goodesy. He worked and worked on his game, and suddenly he went from being a talented kid with a question mark over one part of his game to being rightfully acclaimed as one of our game's superstars. Well done, mate.

Sitting in the stands at ANZ Stadium with the punters last Saturday, it was a good game to watch, but as I've mentioned before, I'm not really much of a football watcher. I love playing the game and I can't wait to finally get back out there and fit somewhere into that forward line. However, there was a lot to like about our performance against Essendon, particularly the forward set-up, the way they played, and the pressure they applied, and it's made me even keener to get back.

Henry Playfair was really good against Essendon, and so was Mick O'Loughlin, and when I come back - if I'm not playing reserves - then opposition will have three targets to worry about instead of the usual two. That's why Henry was brought up here in the first place, to share the workload and give us another option up forward. He's a big, strong kid, he's a workhorse, and having him there and finding some form, it's a big bonus for us.

I won't know exactly when I will be ready to come back until I get the cast off the wrist and the wires taken out in a couple of weeks. My suspension has me available for the St Kilda game on June 14, but being back for that game might be touch and go. I could be another week or two after that, but I'll know more soon.