Trade news 2022: Why Jordan De Goey should accept Pies’ offer
Jordan De Goey needs to be sat down and told that the legacy of being a one club player is worth accepting behaviour clauses, writes Jon Ralph.
AFL
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Jordan De Goey is about to find out that Collingwood’s patience is not infinite.
De Goey has leverage for the first time in a long time as he pushes hard to limit the behavioural clauses in his new five-year contract and he is using it to the fullest extent.
And yet the Pies are not too far away from telling De Goey that their offer is final — take it or leave it and find a way to St Kilda.
The Herald Sun understands the Pies have several times watered down the behavioural clauses the club’s board has demanded be included in his five-year deal.
They are specific and clear, giving him total clarity on the kind of incidents that would lead to De Goey being in breach.
They are standard clauses inserted in contracts across multiple industries that give De Goey procedural fairness and a presumption of innocence until he works through whatever that controversy might be.
In other words, they are reasonable enough that any player with a modicum of restraint and common sense would feel confident he would never see them enacted.
And yet with De Goey, you can guarantee there will be a next time given the last two occasions he has been on a break from the Pies he has found himself in hot water, first in New York on a “training camp” and then in Bali over the bye.
Bending to De Goey and removing those clauses would be a recipe for disaster for Collingwood.
It’s a funny old position for De Goey, isn’t it?
The same player who pledged in his mid-year statement that, “I remain absolutely committed to change,” is keen to find out exactly how much scallywaggery he can get away with without the Pies ripping up his contract.
So Collingwood will continue to negotiate in good faith for a time, but not forever.
De Goey’s manager Ryan Vague is also his brother in law.
At what stage does the husband of De Goey’s sister sit him down and tell him for the good of his career and his vast earning power that he should suck it up and sign with Collingwood.
Not because he owes them.
But because, just as Ralph Carr has done with Dustin Martin, Vague or his next manager can set him up forever as a one-club star.
A huge brand that cultivates his hint of ratbag with the pull of Collingwood’s vast supporter base and brand appeal.
Why shouldn’t Collingwood just rip up the behavioural clauses?
Because this ain’t De Goey’s first rodeo.
In 2017 he was suspended by the club for lying about a broken hand he said was caused by a playfight with his dog when he had injured it in a bar fight.
The next year he blew 0.95 and was suspended and fined $10,000 by Collingwood.
In 2020 he was charged with indecent assault for a 2015 incident and although charges were dropped in 2021 - Victoria police paid costs - he wrote to the victim in 2018 apologising for his language and said he would have counselling for his behaviour.
In 2021 he allegedly kicked a man in a New York nightclub and although forcible touching charges were dropped he pleaded guilty to harassment charges in January and was ordered to undergo alcohol and anger counselling.
This June came the Bali incident that saw him exposing the breast of a female in a nightclub, followed by a hopelessly ill-advised social media statement that played the victim.
Then amid a standoff with the club he refused to show up and missed the next match.
They are only the incidents the public has been made aware of, and mean that believing De Goey would never transgress again is a fool’s errand.
So what happens if De Goey walks away?
Friday’s free agency acquisition of Dan McStay means the Pies would effectively lose almost all of the free agency compensation they would normally acquire, which would have been pick 17 (after the Pies No.16 pick).
In theory the Pies could match a St Kilda free agency bid to force a trade because De Goey is a restricted free agent.
They could trade for Brisbane forward McStay rather than access him as a free agent, but given the Lions will get pick 34 as compensation for him the Pies would need to give Brisbane a pick superior to 34, but lower than the 17 they would receive as free agency compensation.
What is more likely is they would clear $800,000 of cap space for a 2022 trade or 2023 free agency acquisition, aware they couldn’t replace De Goey’s talent but would be free of the heartburn he so relentlessly provides.
So Collingwood will continue those delicate talks, all the while hoping De Goey is receiving the best possible advice instead of exactly what he wants to hear from a member of his family.
The time hasn’t arrived when they will tell De Goey they are moving on….but it isn’t far away.
AFLPA takes aim at Pies’ De Goey clauses
- Simeon Thomas-Wilson
The AFL Players’ Association has taken aim at clubs adding extra behavioural clauses imposed on players beyond what’s included in a standard contract.
It comes after Jordan De Goey pushed back against behaviour-based clauses in a new contract Collingwood want him to sign.
De Goey has told the Pies he will not accept the current five-year deal that would give the Pies the right to move him on after two years, if he committed another infraction.
De Goey was handed a suspended fine by the Pies for his Bali escapades over the bye but recently had his contract upped from a four-year offer to five seasons at $800,000.
If he dodged controversy for the first two seasons of the deal, he would be guaranteed the remaining three years of the contract.
AFLPA general manager of player and stakeholder relations Brett Murphy said the association did not support these additional clauses.
“The AFLPA does not support additional behavioural clauses imposed on players beyond what’s already in place through the standard playing contract. Players are also bound by the code of conduct, afl rules and other policies, which provide options for sanctions where appropriate and permitted in different circumstances, as well as broader legal principles applying to all employees.
“Players are also bound by the code of conduct, afl rules and other policies, which provide options for sanctions where appropriate and permitted in different circumstances, as well as broader legal principles applying to all employees.”
De Goey pushing back has opened the door for St Kilda to swoop in and offer him a five-year deal.
The Pies board is not prepared to offer him a guaranteed sum, as high as $2.4 million, without behaviour-based clauses given the string of incidents across De Goey’s nine-season career.
The contract clause that derailed De Goey deal
Collingwood is still hopeful Jordan De Goey will re-sign on a five-year deal despite rejecting a contract offer with vague behaviour-based clauses.
De Goey has told the Pies he will not accept the current five-year deal that would give the Pies the right to move him on after two years if he committed another infraction.
De Goey was handed a suspended fine by the Pies for his Bali escapades during the mid-season bye but recently had his contract upped from a four-year offer to five seasons at $800,000.
If he dodged controversy for the first two seasons of the deal he would be guaranteed the remaining three years of the contract.
The Pies board is not prepared to offer him a guaranteed sum without behaviour-based clauses given a string of incidents across his nine-season career.
It is unclear exactly what clauses De Goey would be subjected to under the current contract, but it’s understood he is seeking more clarity on what would constitute a breach.
He is prepared to accept some behavioural-based clauses.
De Goey will back in his improved behaviour after seeking help for the ADHD diagnosis he believed put him in risky situations.
But he would want a watertight definition given his previous issues mean he cannot guarantee he will completely avoid future controversy.
The Pies had been confident De Goey would stay under the five-year deal because St Kilda has not offered the monster deal that might have dragged him out of the club.
The Saints have instead offered a responsible deal that they believe would appeal to De Goey if he wanted a fresh start at another team.
Collingwood believes De Goey wants to stay as a marquee player at a club that can only enhance his brand, with the star also aware of Collingwood’s open premiership window.
But they will have to go back to the drawing board with his manager Ryan Vague to try to drill down into the exact clauses that he would approve.
De Goey is contracted until the end of October.
The two officially sat down to recommence talks last week.
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