Goldstein stands at 201 cm and has a basketball background, representing Australia at Under-19 level. He was a member of the Oakleigh Chargers 2006 side which won the TAC Cup.
Goldstein played his junior basketball at Balwyn Blazers and Nunawading Spectres. At one stage he harboured ambitions to play college basketball in America.[1] He focussed on football in 2006, playing for his school team and Oakleigh Chargers, he nominated for the AFL draft in that same year. He was eventually drafted by North Melbourne at pick 37 in the 2006 AFL draft.[2]
AFL career
Goldstein was brought into the North Melbourne side for their Round 15 clash with the Port Adelaide Power at AAMI Stadium in 2008. He made his AFL debut in this game, where he collected four disposals and won 13 hitouts. In the next round, Goldstein kicked two goals against the Collingwood Magpies.
Goldstein played one of the best games of his career to date against the Melbourne Demons in the round 19, 2009 match at Etihad Stadium. He finished with 5 goals, 25 hitouts and helped his teammates to a 10-goal win.[3] He was awarded two Brownlow Medal votes for this game.[4]
In 2010 he played in 21 of 22 games and often had to ruck for long periods due to injuries to the Kangaroos other ruckmen, Hamish McIntosh, David Hale and Drew Petrie.[5]
In 2011 he has taken over the number one ruck duties at North Melbourne in the absence of McIntosh and has begun to establish himself as one of the leagues premier big men. In the round 10 match against the Sydney Swans he set a career best record of 53 hitouts which he equaled again just 4 weeks later.[6]
By 2015 he has established himself as an elite ruckman, ranking as the number 1 ruck in the competition and number 4 player overall. In a poll by AFL.com in May, 81% of respondents considered him the best current ruck in the AFL.[7] His season was rewarded with the Syd Barker Medal as North Melbourne's best-and-fairest player.[8]
Also in the season of 2015, Goldstein became the first player in AFL history to garner 1000 hitouts in a single season,[9] and in round 12 against Greater Western Sydney broke the record of most hitouts in a single game with 80 total.[10]
Goldstein moved to Essendon as a free agent in October 2023.[11]
Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of round 2, 2024[12]
Son of Andrea and Jeff and brother of Luke and Kye, Goldstein grew up in the inner eastern suburbs of Melbourne. His schooling involved attending Trinity Grammar School (in secondary school) and Preshil (in primary school).
^The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
