By Jake Niall
Star Collingwood midfielder Jordan De Goey has flown to Doha with the club’s conditioning boss for a 10-day program aimed at overcoming the groin and abdominal injuries he carried in 2024.
De Goey and Collingwood’s head of high-performance Jarrod Wade have gone to the renowned Aspetar clinic in Doha – where a number of international athletes head – to work on preparing his groin and abdominal areas for the 2025 pre-season.
Jordan De Goey has ventured overseas as part of his off-season program.Credit: Joe Armao
De Goey arrived in Doha early last week and will be in the training program – specifically designed for him and his recent injuries – for a total of 10 days, working with Aspetar’s strength and conditioning experts.
Collingwood confirmed that De Goey was in Doha for the training program aimed at improving the condition of his groin and abdominal area.
“Jordan, together with the club, made the decision to spend 10 days in his off-season with high-performance professionals in Doha, completing a training program aimed at improving the groin and abdominal issues he experienced during the 2024 season,” said Wade, in a statement provided to this masthead.
“Jordan is committed to getting his body right, working alongside world-leading professionals to ensure he is best prepared for the upcoming pre-season and the 2025 campaign.
“He will return to the club when the whole football program returns for pre-season training on November 25.”
De Goey is a key to Collingwood’s 2025 campaign, having played only 13 of a possible 23 games this year, missing games due to a combination of the groin/abdominal injuries and also a high-grade hamstring tear that saw him miss the last three games as the 2023 premiers’ charge fell short of the final eight.
This is the second time De Goey has travelled overseas to seek treatment for injury, having gone to Germany in the finals series of 2019 to see hamstring guru Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt, who was the long-time head doctor for soccer giant Bayern Munich and has treated sporting luminaries such as Usain Bolt and Cristiano Ronaldo.
De Goey was a key member of Collingwood’s 2023 premiership, having been best afield in their one-point preliminary final victory over Greater Western Sydney and then playing a pivotal role in the grand final victory over the Lions, booting two goals, including the celebrated major that re-captured the lead with five minutes remaining in the game.
The Magpies face a challenging fixture early in 2025, given that they are fixtured to start the season with the Giants away, Port Adelaide (MCG), the Western Bulldogs (MCG), then Carlton on a Thursday night, Sydney in Adelaide for Gather Round, and then 2024 premiers Brisbane Lions at the Gabba. All of their first six games are against 2024 finalists.
De Goey will be joined in the midfield in 2025 by recruit Harry Perryman, the former Giant, while Dan Houston, a two-time all-Australian from Port Adelaide, will take up a position across half-back, and ex-Saint Tim Membrey has been brought in as a delisted free agent to bolster the forward line and key forward depth.
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