Collingwood boss under fire over 'appalling' Jordan de Goey joke
Collingwood president Jeff Browne has apologised for a joke about Jordan de Goey that reportedly caused controversy at the club's AFLW awards at the end of last season.
De Goey was stood down by Collingwood last October when he was arrested for a drunken incident at a New York nightclub.
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He pleaded guilty to a downgraded charge of harassment, with three more charges including forcible touching and assault dropped following a plea deal.
In the wake of the scandal, Browne reportedly landed himself in hot water at the club's AFLW awards night in April when he made an ill-timed joke about De Goey.
According to the Herald Sun, Browne said: “I hear some of you girls are going overseas tomorrow. I have a message for you from Jordan De Goey, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do."
Collingwood have since told the Herald Sun it was a 'bad joke', while the publication published an apology from Browne.
“I made a comment at our best and fairest night which, in hindsight and given the events of the past week, using Jordan as a reference point was not a good example," he said.
“At the time, we had a group of athletes heading overseas the following day and the only intention of my comments were to caution those athletes to not misbehave.’’
A Collingwood sponsor reportedly told the Herald Sun: “I couldn’t believe what I was hearing at first.
“I turned to the person next to me and said: ‘Did he really just make a Jordan De Goey joke?’ And they just shook their heads in disbelief.
“It was so disrespectful. It would always be inappropriate, but on a night to celebrate the women’s team, it was just appalling.
“I can’t imagine how the players felt having their season and achievements reduced to a joke.”
Jordan de Goey handed suspended fine over Bali incident
Last week De Goey was handed a $25,000 suspended fine by Collingwood and apologised for his "disrespectful" conduct while partying in Bali in a separate incident.
Footage emerged on social media of De Goey, who was given permission by the club to travel to Bali on his mid-season break, making crude gestures while at a nightclub.
The fine is suspended through to the end of the season and dependent on good behaviour.
De Goey will also "undertake further behavioural education" in addition to an existing counselling program, but has avoided any suspension from playing duties.
Collingwood have also put contract talks with the 26-year-old, who is entering free agency, on hold until season's end.
"The actions shown in the video footage are disrespectful and I accept that I have betrayed the trust the club showed in me by allowing me to take my mid-season break overseas," De Goey said in a statement.
"My actions have fallen short of the standards expected of me as a person, as an AFL footballer and as a representative of the Collingwood Football Club.
"I had worked hard this year to establish trust and confidence in me to make better decisions and through no one's fault but my own, I have undone that trust.
"Again, I apologise for my disrespectful conduct. I understand that I have let many people down and that I have much work to do to again rebuild trust."
Collingwood chief executive Mark Anderson condemned De Goey's actions as demonstrating disrespect towards women.
He was particularly dismayed by vision of De Goey pulling at a woman's top, almost exposing her breast.
with AAP
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