NEW Essendon captain Brendon Goddard has fired back at Paul Chapman’s caustic assessment of his leadership as he confirmed Mathew Stokes would join the Bombers.

Chapman painted Goddard as a finger-pointing, unaccountable individual who cracked under pressure in his recent no-holds-barred biography.

But while Goddard has admitted he will have to be a more inclusive, supportive leader, he dispatched that assessment in his own no-nonsense style.

“I think most people brush a lot of the stuff that Chappy says off,” Goddard said on SEN Radio.

Round 18

“To be honest, what he says is really irrelevant because within the four walls, and I know people within other four walls at other footy clubs, know what Paul Chapman’s like.

“I won’t turn a blind eye to everything. I know there’s some areas I need to improve. Like a lot of people in this position I’m going to need a lot of help this year.”

Goddard will lead a ravaged Essendon midfield missing Jobe Watson, Dyson Heppell, Travis Colyer, Brent Stanton and David Myers.

It is a measure of new coach John Worsfold’s determination to restock that midfield that his top-ups have been onballers despite the suspension of defenders Cale Hooker and Michael Hurley.

Brendon Goddard and Zach Merrett wrestle at Essendon training. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

That pair finished one-two in the best-and-fairest and were Champion Data’s best two ranked defenders in 2015 but the modern game is won in the midfield.

Goddard confirmed Geelong midfielder Stokes would join Cats triple premiership player James Kelly as a top-up player.

The Bombers have already confirmed the recruitment of Hawthorn’s Jonathan Simpkin and ex-Fremantle tagger Ryan Crowley, with Matt Dea (Richmond) and Mark Jamar (Melbourne) likely additions.

Essendon can recruit ten top-up players as it strives to refill its list after the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s suspension of players for the 2016 season.

Stokes turned 31 in November but still averaged 19 possessions this year and signed off with 33 vintage touches in his Simonds Stadium farewell.

Premiership teammate Cam Mooney told the Geelong Advertiser last week Stokes would be a perfect fit.

“I believe Stokesy will get a gig and they should get Matty Stokes,” Mooney said.

“He would be unbelievably good for them. Both of them have kept themselves quite fit since the end of last season, and even though they haven’t had a proper AFL pre-season, they have had 10-plus years of pre-seasons, so it won’t take them long to get back to full fitness.”

Both Kelly and Stokes have played some games in the NTFL over the summer.