From St Kevin’s College to the AFL, Jon Anderson examines the rise and fall of Jordan De Goey

FUN loving? Definitely. Silly? Sometimes. Malicious? Never. Delve a little deeper into the shattered world of Jordan De Goey and you will find a young man both likeable and simplistic, writes JON ANDERSON.

Jordan De Goey on his first day as a Magpie. Picture: Tim Carrafa

DELVE a little deeper into the shattered world of Jordan De Goey and you will find a young man both likeable and simplistic.

I don’t know De Goey well but spoke with him on a half dozen occasions in 2014-2015, in the first instance when he was a student and star footballer at St Kevin’s College and later when interviewing him at the school best and fairest when he returned as guest speaker.

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On every meeting he was polite, prone to natural cheekiness, loyal and in his own description, far more of a footballer than scholar. Since concentrating on Australian Rules after playing rugby union for his first few years of senior school, his progress was such that the lad known as “Googs” was always a chance to be drafted high in 2014.

Jordan De Goey playing under 18 football for Vic Metro. Picture: Colleen Petch

Away from the prying eyes of adults, and indeed club officials, he is the type of young man who will be pushing the boundaries on a footy trip. Fun loving? Definitely. Silly? Sometimes. Malicious? Never.

Rod Grinter, 52, who knows the pitfalls of the AFL system after 134 games with Melbourne between 1985-95, has for the past 19 years been involved on the senior coaching panel with St Kevin’s in the highly-rated APS system which De Goey flourished in between 2013-2014.

“He came across to me as easy going and good to coach because he was willing to learn. And yes, he was a bit of a lad which has surfaced publicly over the past two years but we had absolutely no issues with him during 2013-14. In fact he was absolutely fantastic,” said Grinter.

Nathan Buckley with Jordan De Goey on draft night. Picture: Stephen Harman

“I found it interesting to hear that his issues supposedly stem from remaining mates with his old school friends. To say it doesn’t speak highly of his mates and that they shouldn’t have let him drive is drawing a very long bow.

“The boys I know that Jordan remains friendly with are good, upstanding citizens who would actually be looking out for him right now when he lives through a very public punishment.”

Some of those same friends were surprised when their mate went the way of several Collingwood teammates by continually adding tattoos to various parts of his body.

Nathan Buckley speaks to Jordan De Goey at Collingwood training. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

It’s a fashion trend very few of them have chosen, and one more in keeping with the AFL world than that of St Kevin’s old boys plying their trade in A section of the VAFA.

And that world where you pay to play is well removed from one that recently saw De Goey pay over $1 million for an inner-city abode. How much he wants to remain part of that world will play out over the next two years.

Those who know him are hopeful the penny will finally drop although his very nature, and inability to always make the right decisions, may see “Googs” become one of many who Coodabeen a champion.