Collingwood forward Jordan De Goey challenged to reach his full potential, with coach Nathan Buckley saying he possesses one of the best football traits
It was said this week that Jordan De Goey may never reach his full potential. So what does his coach think? It’s a challenge the electric forward has to face, Nathan Buckley admits, but there’s one former Pie who had a similar approach.
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Jordan De Goey faces the challenge of attempting to reach his full football potential, Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley admits, but the forward possesses one of the game’s ultimate traits.
Former Collingwood recruiter Matt Rendell told the Herald Sun on Monday that he believed De Goey’s personality could prevent him from reaching his full football potential.
“You wonder whether Jordy will only get to 80-85 per cent of his true ability,” Rendell said.
“’Danger’ (Patrick Dangerfield performs at) 100 per cent, Fyfe 100 per cent. Will Jordy ever put his head down and a.. up enough to get to the 100?
“We sort of knew that was the question when we drafted him. If he does go to 100 per cent, he will be up there with Dusty and those guys.
“But is he that type of personality? He’s just so happy-go-lucky and takes everything in his stride. He lives for the now.”
Buckley said that Rendell “knows our players as well as any”, and said he “understands what he’s saying about Jordy”.
“I suppose that really is a reality for every player that comes into your environment … do you get the best out of yourself and can you get the best out of yourself?,” Buckley said on Tuesday.
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“Part of it is environment, part of it is the drive of the individual and I think that’s where Bundy (Rendell) was going to a little bit with his comments about Jordy.”
There was one major positive that Buckley identified in Rendell’s assessment, and that was likening the electric forward to Brownlow medallist and premiership player Dane Swan.
“Dane was one of the best big-game players going around, because he never beat himself,” Buckley said.
“He was always relaxed, and as focused and calm as he was for a Round 5 game as going into a Grand Final. That’s a fair trait to have, and when you can separate all the paraphernalia from what actually needs to happen in a game of football and you just love playing footy, that’s a pretty good problem to have and I think Jordy has that problem.”
Magpies recruit Darcy Cameron will make his debut in Thursday night’s season reboot against Richmond, Buckley revealed, but speedy forward Jaidyn Stephenson has been forced to wait.
Mason Cox will also not play after an interrupted preparation, instead set to line-up in the team’s practice match against Richmond tonight.
“(Cox) still needs to tick those boxes, and it provides the opportunity for Darcy, who has come to us and been enormous in the ruck a lot against Brodes (Grundy), but has challenged our key forwards as well,” Buckley said.
“We love the way that he’s gone about it and the boys are pumped that he’s going to get his chance.”
He said Cameron would be afforded time as a key forward “because that’s probably where is opportunities are going to lie”.
Stephenson missed Round 1, which Buckley admitted he was “stiff to miss”, and would “continue to stake his claims”.
“We’ve got quite a few players that would see themselves as best 22 players that are outside the best 22 at the moment,” he said.
“Mason and (Stephenson) would feel like he could play, but we feel like there’s someone else who’s better prepared right now to go and play that role.
“He’s been pretty good, but we didn’t feel like anyone deserved to come out of the side, as far back as it was.”
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Originally published as Collingwood forward Jordan De Goey challenged to reach his full potential, with coach Nathan Buckley saying he possesses one of the best football traits