Former Collingwood premiership captain Tony Shaw stern words for troubled star Jordan De Goey

Tony Shaw has warned the troubled Magpies star that he will face a life of regret if he doesn’t heed the former premiership captain’s warning.

BEST 25 1990 … Tony Shaw celebrates Collingwoods 1990 premiership win, the first premiership since 1958. Picture: Mike Keating

Former Collingwood premiership captain Tony Shaw says troubled Magpies star Jordan De Goey needs to grow up or face a life of regret further down the track.

“He can set up his life now, but that’s up to Jordan,” Shaw told the Herald Sun. “Everybody says it’s the club’s fault, this fault, that fault, the AFL’s fault. No, it’s Jordan’s fault.”

Tony Shaw insisted De Goey was a “lovely kid”. Picture: Rebecca Michael

De Goey returned to training with the Pies this week after a controversial incident in Bali. He recently apologised for inappropriate and disrespectful conduct in Indonesia, which saw him cop a $25,000 suspended fine, and his contract negotiations halted.

The embattled midfielder also revealed he had been diagnosed with ADHD.

“He’s a lovely kid,” Shaw, who is also a 3AW broadcaster, added.

“He hosted my three grandkids at a game once. They still talk about it now; how good he was on that day. That’s who he is, that’s what he’s got.”

But Shaw said De Goey had “no excuse” for his behaviour in Bali.

“He’s got to grow up, he’s got to pick his friends better. He can set up his life now, but that’s up to Jordan,” Shaw said. “Otherwise, he’ll be 15 years down the track thinking, ‘What the bloody hell have I done?”

Shaw said he appreciates the difficulties of modern day players living under the glare of social media, but added: “They say you’re under enormous scrutiny now, but if you don’t stuff up, you’re not under scrutiny.

“If you want to put yourself in an environment where you’re doing something which might be morally or criminally wrong, people will find you out. You’ll play a price.”

Shaw added: “Listen, we had blokes who stuffed up, but they’d bloody train hard, play hard, compete, then they’d party.

“In our day, we could let our hair down, drink — but be smart about it — and enjoy each other’s company. They probably only do that within the four walls of the club now.

Tony Shaw reminisced that in his “day” they could party, but “be smart about it”.

“We used to go to restaurants together, and the kids would be running around. We used to have a drink with the opposition players. It was about respect. You try to kill them on the ground, then have a beer later.”

Meanwhile, Shaw, who led Collingwod to win the flag in 1990, will be the focus of a play, Shawry, written by playwright Neil Cole.

The inspirational rags-to-riches story opens at the Chapel Off Chapel on July 13.

“It tells the story of an ordinary man who did exceptional things,” Cole said.

“He gave so much to the game and he believed in so much, and won, against all the odds. It’s a story that needs to be told.”

Shaw said it’s a “shock” to be the focus of a theatre piece, but added: “I’ hope it’s a story about work ethic. I wasn’t the most skilled player, but I worked bloody hard.

“I grew up in Housing Commission (accommodation) in Reservoir, but that shouldn’t hold you back,” Shaw said. “My mum and dad never drove, they never had licenses, so we had to walk, run or bike; and we had to share the one bike.”

Collingwood, with Shaw as captain, broke a 32 year premiership drought, when they beat Essendon in the 1991 AFL Grand Final.

Originally published as Former Collingwood premiership captain Tony Shaw stern words for troubled star Jordan De Goey