Rana Hussain says Collingwood must look after the women in organisation in wake of De Goey
A diversity and inclusion consultant linked to Collingwood has called on the club to be ‘really decisive’ when dealing with Jordan De Goey’s latest issues in Bali.
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A Collingwood diversity and inclusion consultant has called upon the club to be “really decisive” as the Pies consider how to handle Jordan De Goey’s latest nightclub infraction.
Rana Hussain said on Sunday the Pies had to be aware of how De Goey’s latest issues affected women across the entire Collingwood organisation.
She sits on Collingwood Football Club’s Anti-Racism group which was formed after the club’s Do Better report into racism.
He will meet with Collingwood on Monday after returning from Bali on Sunday night for a series of high-level meetings with his coach Craig McRae and senior club leaders.
A club that is attempting significant cultural change as it implements policies including those from the Do Better report is aware he has broken no laws over his nightclub antics.
But Collingwood has a heightened obligation with respect to women as a club that has its own AFLW and netball team.
That will guide the club as it considers how to act with De Goey as the AFL looks on before considering any action of its own.
Hussain told ABC TV on Sunday De Goey’s behaviour had consequences across the entire club.
“If I were Collingwood, I’d be looking after the three women’s teams that they house, and the women within that organisation,” Hussain said.
“Maybe we do scrutinise players too much, but that message coming from Jordan De Goey to me, makes me really bristle.
“He’s had sexual assault allegations and harassment allegations, none of it proven, and he hasn’t been convicted.
“But unlike drug use, harassment and sexual assault and conversations around that and when we condone it in any kind of form, it actually does cause harm. That contributes to the stats that we see — one in two women have experienced sexual harassment and one in five sexual assault. I think it’s now on Collingwood to be really decisive.”
Hussain has also worked for Cricket Australia and Richmond in diversity roles and is a board member for the Victorian Women’s Trust.
Brownlow Medallist Jimmy Bartel says Jordan De Goey’s nightclub antics will scare off rival clubs and allow the Pies to secure him on a cut-price “Boofhead tax”.
The Pies were not aware of De Goey’s intention to release an instagram statement attacking media intrusion and “relentless pursuit and persecution” of athletes.
Collingwood has multiple options — to back its player in without punishment, release a strongly worded statement reminding De Goey of his obligations, or impose a club punishment on De Goey.
Until they sit down with De Goey to hear his version of events they will make no decision, with his free agency status another complication.
The Pies could decide to defer any contract talks on a new deal despite De Goey’s willingness to re-sign and negotiations continuing in the background
Geelong premiership star Bartel said on Sunday the Pies would eventually sign De Goey on a cheaper deal given his reputation.
“From a list management perspective this is a good thing for Collingwood. It is known if you have a football issue there is a boofhead tax,” he told 3AW.
“It helps Collingwood and eliminates clubs who don’t want the issue.”
Bartel has been a strong campaigner about domestic violence and said respect for women was De Goey’s significant issue.
Former St Kilda and Fremantle coach Ross Lyon said the Pies had to decide whether to keep De Goey or move him on, adamant there was no middle ground that would see him securing him at a discount.
“He’s growing up in the public eye. I would love to see him stay at Collingwood and I think he will. But it’s a sharp reminder to him, you are not a normal citizen and it’s what goes with the territory and your personality. You need to adjust and adapt or it’s going to blow up,” he told Triple M.
One of De Goey’s companions in the Instagram video, Remy Jackson, made clear she had no issues with the Collingwood star’s action in attempting to expose her breast.
“Hey everyone, I can’t believe the backlash towards Jordy & Myself over here in Bali... nothing to see here,” Jackson wrote on Instagram.
How De Goey’s Bali break turned to shambles
Scott Gullan and Alice Coster
Jordan De Goey arrived in Bali the happiest he’d been for a long time.
After a horror off-season which included a jail stint in New York, the Collingwood star had gone a long way to rebuilding his reputation.
On the field he’d played an instrumental role in the Pies unexpected rise into the top eight under new coach Craig McCrae who was a big fan.
And off it he was weighing up a new contract, said to be in the region of up to $4 million over the next five years which would set him up for life.
De Goey had left Melbourne not long after Collingwood’s impressive win over reigning premier Melbourne in the Queen’s Birthday clash.
The warm weather of Indonesia was just the tonic he needed to recharge the batteries ahead of the second half of season which would shape his football career.
And he didn’t miss a beat for a couple of days.
For recovery he headed to the beauty parlour, Mynx, run by Essendon premiership star Rick Olarenshaw and his wife, Nitha. (Not to be confused with Olarenshaws other parlour, the famed happy-ending tourist mecca called Flame Spa).
The following night he went for a run with the local AFL team, Bali Geckos, where he was the star of the show during a light session.
“It’s rare for a current player to come mid season but the players loved seeing him,” Olarenshaw said.
“Unlike some ex-players who come and can be a bit arrogant or stand-offish. Jordan was really enthusiastic and jovial. It was a great ambience.”
More fitness was on agenda the following day when he took part in the latest fad to hit Bali, paddle tennis which is a mix of tennis, squash and badminton.
With another workout ticked off, it was time for some relaxing by the pool.
And this is where things started to unravel.
De Goey and his entourage hit the trendy Finns Beach Club, a VIP hot spot where pumped-up wannabes and influencers gather around the pool.
As they say nothing good ever comes from daytime drinking and shots by the pool. That’s what the Pies star soon found himself doing after making a couple of new friends, busty Sydney beach babes Remy Jackson and Sarah Capuano.
The pair had been documenting their every bikini-clad move since arriving that week to celebrate Jackson’s 25th birthday.
And they did have an AFL link with one of Jackson’s 15000 followers on social media, former St Kilda defender Sam Fisher who last month was arrested on major drug trafficking charges.
Things went up a level later in the evening when the party moved over to Motel Mexicola, famous for its bottomless margaritas.
In now deleted footage, De Goey, with fanny pack around his shoulder, tatts on full display and wearing his trademark Nike Dunks, was seen carving up the dancefloor to Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean, Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Want to Have Fun and Abba’s Dancing Queen while receiving tequila throwbacks.
He was then caught making a series of vulgar gestures including flipping the bird and flicking his tongue mimicking a sexual act.
The last shot had De Goey’s easily identified hand attempting to expose Jackson’s breast as she lay on a table before batting him away.
What happened over the next few hours isn’t known but De Goey’s peaceful holiday was turned upside down the following morning when the video leaked out and spread like wildfire.
And that spelt trouble for the Pies bad boy who has been in this position too many times.
The reaction back at home in Australia was of anger and disgust with commentators such as Garry Lyon and Kane Cornes, who earlier in the week had already declared De Goey’s trip to Bali was stupid given his troubles in the US late last year, appalled with his latest indiscretion.
Why Collingwood allowed him to go was at the top of a long list of questions being asked. His manager, Ryan Vague, who is also his brother-in-law, kept the same line saying his man was on his mid-season break and “focused on the rest of the season”.
On Saturday morning Jackson threw her support behind De Goey saying there was “nothing to see here”.
Meanwhile, Collingwood went into damage control, deciding to hold fire until they met with their out-of-contract star on Monday when he returned to training.
There had been plans for one last hurrah with De Goey set to catch up with Olarenshaw, Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney and North Melbourne great Glenn Archer back at Finns Beach Club on Saturday afternoon.
But in a small step in the right direction, albeit a bit late, De Goey pulled the pin saying there was “too much heat” on him.
That’s nothing compared to what he’ll face when he lands back at Tullamarine with his career once again hanging in the balance.
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