$3 million De Goey backflip in Collingwood bombshell

Magpies star Jordan De Goey’s future has taken a turn with the club reportedly accepting its fate that one of its biggest stars is leaving.

Jordan De Goey in finals footy. Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

Collingwood is reportedly expecting star ruckman Brodie Grundy to leave the club at the end of the season — freeing up salary cap space for Jordan De Goey.

Grundy has ben linked with several clubs in recent weeks, but the list of suitors has been dwindled down to the Demons and Magpies recently.

Now it has emerged the Pies expect Grundy to leave to the Demons, The Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph revealed on Monday night on Fox Footy’s On The Couch.

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Collingwood have widely been reported to have been prepared to pay some of Grundy’s wages if he were to leave the club after signing a rich seven-year deal last year.

That move has opened the door for the club to put a contract offer back on the table to De Goey and will reportedly boost the club’s pursuit of trade targets Brisbane tall Dan McStay, GWS small forward Bobby Hill and Adelaide tall Billy Frampton.

For De Goey, it means a four-year, $3.2 million deal is there for the taking, just months after his future was hanging by a thread.

Jordan De Goey. Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

“Melbourne is the raging favourite (for Grundy). The expectation is that they will get there,” Ralph said.

“Collingwood’s position is that they expect him to leave, now if it is that he stays, that’s OK - that may impact some of their other issues trying to get in the likes of (Dan) McStay, Bobby Hill and (Billy) Frampton from Adelaide.

“Those close to him are saying he’s gonna win the Brownlow next year. He’s so determined to play well and yet I think all of us don’t quite see how that fits in with Max Gawn, who’s had two goals in the last eight games as a forward.”

Ralph reports the offer is for $800,000 per-year and includes a clause that demands De Goey show impeccable behaviour off the field in order to unlock the final two seasons of the four-year contract offer.

The club famously pulled the offer in June as a result of the star’s Bali nightclub video scandal.

De Goey missed three games last month due to a quad injury, while he also missed another after taking personal leave in the wake of footage emerging of him at a Bali nightspot during the Pies’ mid-season bye.

His career was at a crossroads and he had been labelled “unrecruitable” as a result of his many off-field incidents.

AFL commentators agreed in June De Goey’s trade value had plummeted after his latest off field scandal.

“It certainly puts more seeds of doubt in other clubs that were considering having a crack at him as a free agent and trying to get him to the football club,” Leigh Montagna said on Fox Footy’s First Crack.

De Goey’s playing future has been a constant talking point throughout the season and popular opinion now has him staying in black and white after many in the industry believed he was gone a month ago.

Magpies coach Craig McRae spoke openly last month going public with a plea for De Goey to stay with the club.

As De Goey’s journey seems increasingly likely to continue at the Pies, the opposite is true for million-dollar ruckman Brodie Grundy, whose availability has piqued the interest of several rival clubs.

Grundy, who is contracted for five more years, won’t return this season after undergoing ankle surgery and may have made his last appearance for Collingwood.

Originally published as $3 million De Goey backflip in Collingwood bombshell