Jordan de Goey’s lie to club over broken hand the latest example of Pies shooting themselves in foot

JORDAN de Goey’s version of ‘the dog ate my homework’ is the latest chapter in Collingwood shooting itself in the foot. And the Pies had to act, writes Jon Ralph.

JORDAN de Goey has committed one of footy’s cardinal sins — blatantly lying to his coach and football club.

The Collingwood midfielder was crazy to think he might get away with it even without Collingwood’s rich history of deceit.

BROKEN HAND: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE INJURY

He was insane because if you are a Collingwood footballer in this footy-mad town, nothing you do stays under the surface.

But his story was so ridiculous from the outset — breaking his hand on a door throwing a toy to his dog on Saturday — that it was always going to face greater scrutiny.

His version of “the dog ate my homework”.

By yesterday afternoon, as the Herald Sun made inquiries and SEN’s David Schwarz stated emphatically his hand was broken in a Friday night fight, his story was collapsing like a deck of cards.

Jordan De Goey had impressed during the pre-season before copping a thigh injury. Picture: Michael Klein

By then he was still swearing black and blue despite the suspicion he had celebrated his 21st birthday of the previous Wednesday a little too actively.

It is understood late last night he admitted there were holes in his story, with crisis meetings at the club today — resulting in the Pies slapping him with a fine, extended ban and community service.

So the dog didn’t eat his homework after all.

De Goey’s first words to Nathan Buckley when drafted were: “I’ll never let you down”.

He couldn’t have found a more dramatic or inopportune time to prove the irony of that statement.

Now after such a dramatic breach of trust, Collingwood’s only possible option was a lengthy internal ban from playing senior football.

De Goey is out for a month anyway with that broken hand, and the extra three weeks means we may not see him at AFL level for the first third of the season.

How could the Pies not come down on De Goey when then their entire leadership program is based on trust and togetherness?

Senior coach Nathan Buckley just can’t get a break.

Last year it was the Collingwood illicit drugs story that accused significant numbers of his players of testing positive over the summer period.

Buckley was adamant the story was off base, but regardless his shell-shocked players were annihilated by Sydney in Round 1.

Now he will have to deal with the fallout of this story, a massive distraction ahead of the biggest season of his own coaching career.

The Pies were seen to have a huge chance to knock off the Western Bulldogs after an extremely positive pre-season campaign.

Instead a prime time Friday night contest will be all about De Goey’s lies rather than what Collingwood can bring this year.

Jordan De Goey’s injury is not what the Pies needed this week. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Collingwood has now developed a rich history of shooting itself in the foot.

Last year during the pre-season it was drugs and accusations Jeremy Howe’s own finger injury was suffered playing cricket rather than throwing a frisbee with his dog.

Then during the year the Travis Cloke circus became a huge distraction as he was dropped three times amid strong speculation he and Buckley has lost trust in each other.

The club’s own decision on a succession plan was made for the correct reasons but what was a bold and innovative decision has never been vindicated.

Even since then Mick Malthouse’s refusal to go quietly and Cloke’s own 2012 contract saga as he took all year to re-sign his deal have distracted the Pies from the main game of winning football contests.

What a compulsive mix — lies, Collingwood, the most ridiculous excuse of all time, and a young emerging star already seen as a bit of a lad.

Collingwood has moved quickly to handle this saga. But it wasn’t what the club — and especially the coach — needed ahead of Friday night’s clash with the reigning premiers.