AFL 2020: Magpies coach says goals could flow despite absence of Jordan DeGoey

An uncertain fixturing landscape could allow Magpie Jordan DeGoey to still impact 2020 as coach Nathan Buckley said goals could flow as more players get a “lick of the ice cream”.

Mason Cox is battling. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has refused to put a line through Jordan DeGoey for the rest of the season because of the uncertainties around the ever-changing AFL fixturing landscape.

DeGoey is out for at least the next 10 weeks after having surgery on his finger on Monday, which could rule him out until finals.

His absence creates a goalscoring hole for the Magpies, after DeGoey booted five goals in a match-winning performance last week against Geelong.

But Buckley actually predicted a goalscoring explosion was on the way from Collingwood with an all-team system in which “everyone gets a lick of the ice-cream”.

“We’ve never really relied on individual goal kickers, which is a bit rich me saying when Jordan kicked five last week, which is nearly worth 10 in footy in 2020,” Buckley said ahead of Saturday’s blockbuster clash with West Coast.

“We believe we have a structure that everyone gets a lick of the ice-cream. We’ve been able to spread our scoring, and we’ve been pretty hard to scout over the last three years in particular as a forward group because our scoring could come from anywhere.

“We think our system is starting to come together ... it can go to another level. I don’t know where the goals are necessarily going to come from. But I’m pretty sure we can spread the load and start hitting the scoreboard more heavily.”

The goals won’t be coming from Mason Cox, who Buckley conceded had fallen down the pecking order, with Ben Reid and Darcy Cameron now ahead of the American.

“Darcy and Reidy have trained better and are showing better signs than Mason,” Buckley said.

“At various times individuals will be in or out of favour. Mason’s no different to everyone else. He’ll be in the side if he makes us better.”

Like everyone else, Buckley said the Magpies would see more players through the compressed schedule which for Collingwood has five games across 21 days including the clash with the Eagles.

Episode 7.

Sit back and enjoy.

— Collingwood FC (@CollingwoodFC) July 23, 2020

But Buckley said Collingwood, which boasted 41 players at training on Friday, were well placed to get through it.

“We will have to spread the load, there is no doubt about that. We feel like we have players who are fit and ready and motivated,” he said.

“For a lot of those boys, hearing about the compression and the short turnarounds, they’re all of a sudden even more motivated, to see the opportunity to contribute, There’s a reason why you have a squad of 45-plus. It takes more than a 22. “

He said DeGoey would remain in the Magpie hub to do his rehab, and would return as soon as he was ready.

“We’re not putting a line through anyone with the unknown of what is to come. And the people that might do that are not in our environment,” Buckley said.

“Some guys will be pushing it to be back before the season ends but there is plenty we don’t know about what’s to come. We can only really take the next steps in front of us.”