Jordan De Goey avoids major damage, despite injury scare
Star forward Jordan De Goey sent a shock through the Collingwood camp when he suffered an ankle injury.
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Collingwood is confident star ballwinner Jordan De Goey has avoided any serious damage when he tweaked an ankle on Friday night.
De Goey rolled an ankle in the club’s intra club game and had scans on Monday which the club expected to confirm was only a minor problem.
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The club will assess the injury in the coming days before making a call on his availability for Friday’s scratch match against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.
The Pies will take no risks with De Goey in the scratch match and could instead set him to play in the AAMI Community Series clash against Richmond on March 5 at Marvel Stadium.
One of the club’s most important players, De Goey is slated to play more midfield time this season after undertaking some rigorous personal training in the off-season on the back of a new deal.
As the Herald Sun reported on Sunday, first-year utility Oliver Henry and tough-tackling small forward Beau McReery have impressed in pre-season training and are pushing for a Round 1 guernsey against Western Bulldogs.
Key defender Jack Briskey, who is from Toowoomba in Queensland, is training with the club in a bid to land a list spot.
If successful Briskey could give the Pies’ some key defensive coverage with veteran Jordan Roughead, Darcy Moore and Jeremy Howe in line for starting positions.
PIE YOUNG GUN MAKES CASE FOR DEBUT
Collingwood’s bold decision to trade Adam Treloar could deliver it some early rewards this season with exciting first-year forward Oliver Henry already pressing his case for senior selection.
The Magpies took the versatile Henry with pick 17 in the draft, which the club received from the Western Bulldogs for Treloar in the frantic final hour of last year’s trade period.
While the choice was seen as a light return for one of the competition’s most prolific ballwinners, Henry has emerged as an encouraging silver lining of the tumultuous deal.
Henry, whose brother Jack is a key defender at Geelong, made a strong impression in an intra-club game on Friday night when the exciting goalkicker took some excellent marks and slotted two majors.
It continues an impressive summer campaign for the unflappable teen who has looked comfortable at the level throughout Collingwood’s match simulation sessions over the past month.
The former Geelong Falcon was highly rated for his ability to read the play and intercept mark in the underage system and was one of the best players in the Magpies’ city versus country scratch match.
Recruiters last year said they saw shades of Port Adelaide’s Connor Rozee in Henry for his ability to impact the play and hit the scoreboard in the forward half.
“He is someone who can do some special things, especially in the air,” said Geelong Falcons’ regional manager Michael Turner.
“You put him in defence and he will intercept mark and then when he goes forward he kicks goals, so he is a really exciting talent.”
High-tackling small forward Beau McReery, 19, is also in the mix for a spot at Collingwood in the early rounds, while the club has high hopes for young key forward Will Kelly after an injury-ruined 2020.
Superstar ruckman Brodie Grundy was also prominent on Friday night as he looks to rebound from a modest season in which the gun big man was down on his outstanding 2019 form.
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Collingwood looks set to thrust Jordan De Goey into the midfield more this season to help cover Treloar’s absence, potentially creating opportunity for another forward such as Henry to step up in attack.
De Goey is in prime condition despite a recent groin niggle and impressed Collingwood coaches for his training program and dedication in the off-season after signing a contract extension.
De Goey copped a knock to the ankle in the scratch match but is fine.
Collingwood made the call to punt Treloar and Jaidyn Stephenson largely to help relieve its bulging salary cap but their departure also helped the Pies invest heavily in last year’s draft.
Henry, who was linked to one of Essendon’s first three picks inside the top 10, was one who unexpectedly slid on draft night to Collingwood’s first choice.
“Oli was rated really highly with us in terms of what he can offer in terms of our flexibility aerially in the front end and at both ends of the ground,” recruiting manager Derek Hine said on draft night.
“We were really pleased and probably a little bit surprised (he was still there). After the first seven or eight picks the draft really opened up so we had a little bit of luck there.”
Henry will have another chance to impress when Collingwood takes on Geelong in the informal practice game this weekend.
BIG TICK FOR RETURNING PIES STAR
– Glenn McFarlane
High-flying Collingwood defender Jeremy Howe took a significant step towards his AFL return when he took part in an intra-club game at Olympic Park on Friday night.
And North Melbourne is breathing a sigh of relief after star ruckman Todd Goldstein was cleared of any serious damage after suffering a heavy knock in Friday‘s intra-club match at Arden St.
It was Howe’s first competitive match-simulation since suffering a sickening knee injury when colliding with Giant Jacob Hopper in Round 4 last season.
Howe had surgery to repair posterior cruciate and medial ligaments damage which ended his season in what proved a massive blow for the Magpies’ defence.
He got through his first test unscathed and now seems likely to test his knee even further in Friday’s practice match against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.
Collingwood assistant coach Brenton Sanderson said the players were pleased to have Howe back out there playing again.
“It’s good to have Howey back,” Sanderson said. “His last game was … up in Sydney where he obviously hurt his knee, so it was good to see him out there.”
“Our list looks pretty healthy … apart from a couple of niggles a few boys have.
“The team is in a really good spot.”
Howe’s return would be a huge boost for Collingwood ahead of a make-or-break season for the club and coach Nathan Buckley.
The inaugural City v Country clash ðŸ†ðŸ¤ pic.twitter.com/gmdrwUoL6e
— Collingwood FC (@CollingwoodFC) February 19, 2021
Sanderson said the Magpies took plenty out of their City-versus-Country intra-club – which the City team won – and it would stand them in good stead heading into the game against the Cats, which could be extended to six periods instead of four quarters.
“It was an awesome hitout,” he said. ”The boys’ intensity was sensational for this time of the year.”
“We will take our full squad (down to Geelong) and (hopefully) play a game and a half. We will play every player at least three quarters.”
RELATED: HOW PIES WILL RESPOND TO SALARY CAP CULL
Magpie draftee Oliver Henry, who was pick 17 in last year’s draft, impressed on Friday night, enhancing his claims of potentially making a Round 1 debut against Western Bulldogs at the MCG on March 19.
He kicked two goals on Friday, and impressed with his composure.
Josh Daicos booted three goals and looks ready to go to the next level after his breakout 2020 season.
Jordan De Goey has overcome his abdominal strain setback and looked in good shape; Scott Pendlebury showed his class as always; Mason Cox kicked three goals in the final term to help set up the win for the City team; while ruckman Brodie Grundy kicked the sealer late in the game after a strong performance.
Goldstein left the field at Arden St on Friday in great discomfort, but the Kangaroos couldn’t have been more pleased that his X-rays and scans revealed he had not suffered any serious damage.
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