The 33-year-old, who took up the reins as co-captain in 2009 alongside Brett Kirk and Craig Bolton, will make way for 25-year-old midfielder Kieren Jack to step into the co-captaincy role with Jarrad McVeigh for the 2013 season.
“I just think the feeling is right,” Goodes told SwansTV on Friday.
“Going to Coffs Harbour and doing the behaviours again, and with the guys who were stepping up in those meetings, it just felt like it was a good opportunity to give someone else an opportunity to have this great opportunity that I’ve had.
“I’m grateful to still be playing football for this great club after a premiership year and I just think the time is right and I’m looking forward to helping mentor the next person who goes into that role just as Kirky and Craig Bolton did for me and I did for Macca (Jarrad McVeigh) over the last couple of years.”
Goodes said Jack was a worthy replacement as co-captain of the Sydney Swans, adding that he had already shown terrific leadership both on and off the field since arriving at the club in 2005.
“I think Kieren deserves the opportunity and he’s definitely next in line,” he said.
“His consistency on field shows that he helps get the team up to where we are and I think his leadership can go to the next level with the role of captaincy.
“The biggest message for Kieren is to not change anything he’s been doing, because those things are the reasons he’s been appointed as a co-captain.”
Despite no longer holding the co-captaincy, Goodes said he will not be moving away from his role within the Swans’ leadership group, believing his influence is still very much valued at the Swans.
“I’m not going to step back out of the leadership group and I want to be a part of it and I still want to drive our team forward, but I think it’s a great opportunity for someone else to come forward and to take up that co-captain role,” he said.
“I’ve even found at training that nothing has changed so I don’t take a backwards step and I don’t think that’s what the coach or any of the other players would want me to.
“All it means is I won’t be able to toss the coin, but I’ll still be able to talk to the boys when I want to and I’ll still call things when I see things, and that’s just what all of us as leaders do.”
While he has stepped down from the top job, Goodes has by no means stepped away from the Swans, with the dual Brownlow medallist extending his contract until the end of the 2014 season.
Goodes said he is looking forward to playing out another two seasons with the club.
“It’s awesome,” Goodes said about his contract extension.
“I love playing football and I can’t see myself doing anything else, so now that I have that security and knowing that whatever happens with my body or mentally or physical that I’m here until the end of 2014.
“It means I can start to make plans outside of football with housing or whatever it might be, so that security is fantastic, but also to know mentally and physically that I can easily get through another two years of football.”
