Collingwood general manager of football Geoff Walsh says betrayal of trust is the hardest pill to swallow in the wake of Jordan De Goey’s actions.
De Goey was hit with a three-week club suspension - to be served upon his availability from a broken hand – and was fined $5,000 after lying to the club about the circumstances surrounding his broken hand.
“We’re not shying away from the fact that Nathan Buckley would feel embarrassed and betrayed,” Walsh told The Run Home.
“Nathan displays overt belief and trust in his playing group and to have that wilfully disregarded would strike at him.
“There was an erosion of trust and the erosion of people’s faith.
“Jordan certainly has a lot of work to do to make up the ground lost with his peers, coaches and others members of the football department.”
Buckley fronted a news conference yesterday to detail De Goey’s broken hand was as a result of hitting a door. Less than 12 hours later it was revealed it occurred in an altercation at a St Kilda bar on Friday night. At this stage Police are unlikely to take action.
Walsh said De Goey contacted him last night at 10pm while on his way home from hospital following surgery to repair his broken hand.
He said while the lesson was a harsh one given its ramifications for player and coach, some good has potentially come of it.
“Playing AFL is a position that can’t be abused and if it is it will tip you out of the bus pretty quickly,” he said.
“If there’s anything retrievable out of this then hopefully that’s a thought that’s ingrained in his head now.”
Walsh confirmed the 21-year-old would play VFL upon return from injury.
He could not however confirm De Goey owned a dog.