Jordan De Goey under fire over Collingwood contract shock

Jordan De Goey has reportedly turned down a contract extension worth $4 million to stay with Collingwood, with the 26-year-old said to be unhappy with clauses relating to his off-field behaviour.

After being caught up in off-field controversy in the middle of the season, De Goey managed to put it behind him to be one of Collingwood's most consistent players as they made a stunning charge to the preliminary final, which they lost by a point to Sydney.

OUCH: Buddy Franklin cops brutal truth bomb after AFL grand final flop

YIKES: Tom Stewart apologises to young girl after AFL grand final gaffe

The Magpies tabled a five-year extension for De Goey, The Age reports, but stipulations within relating to his off-field behaviour have reportedly seen the star sour on the deal.

While he hasn't ruled out the possibility of accepting a different deal and Collingwood remain intent on keeping him at the club, St Kilda remain interested in signing De Goey as a free agent.

De Goey was stood down by Collingwood from October 31 last year to mid-January amid the US court proceedings, where he pleaded guilty to harassment, which didn't carry a criminal conviction.

After returning, he was given personal leave in June this year after footage emerged of the 26-year-old making lewd gestures in a Bali nightclub during a mid-season break.

According to The Age's Michael Gleeson, De Goey is said to have informed head coach Craig McRae and football manager Graham Wright he believes the clauses about his behaviour are 'too broad and arbitrary'.

Collingwood now find themselves in a 'proper contract stand-off now' Gerard Whateley said on AFL 360, while co-host Mark Robinson argued Collingwood should 'stand their ground'.

Robinson credited De Goey for his impressive on-field response to his Bali controversy earlier in the season, but argued the 26-year-old needed to accept he still needed to win back some degree of trust with the club.

“You know Jordan, you got your hand back no doubt, you played magnificent football. But you’ve got a history and the club has said: ‘We will pay you a lot of money but we want you to behave’ – and you’re saying you want specifics about my behaviour? No common sense!" Robinson said.

“We’re not going make a list of if you do that you’re OK, if you do that no you’re out.

“You know Jordan, you got your hand back no doubt, you played magnificent football. But you’ve got a history and the club has said: ‘We will pay you a lot of money but we want you to behave’ – and you’re saying you want specifics about my behaviour? No common sense!

“We’re not going make a list of if you do that you’re OK, if you do that no you’re out.

“Common sense behaviour! You’re a man! Take the deal.

“If you don’t want the deal, you don’t want to make the changes – goodbye! You are just a footballer, that’s all you are.

“You’re a good footballer but you are not bigger than the club.”

Collingwood facing contract conundrum with Jordan De Goey

Robinson said De Goey leaving the club in free agency could potentially allow them to retain ruckman Brodie Grundy, who has already been informed by the club that they are looking to trade him.

Collingwood have been attempting to get their salary cap crunch under control over the past few seasons, moving on from highly-rated midfielders Adam Treloar and Jaidyn Stephenson after the 2020 season in order to do so.

Despite signing Grundy to a lucrative seven-year contract that same off-season, the ruckman has reportedly become surplus to requirements at Collingwood, with the 28-year-old nominating Melbourne as his preferred trade destination.

“I hope (De Goey) stays, but if he’s digging in saying: ‘I don’t know about my behaviour’, Collingwood and Jeff Browne should say: ‘OK thanks a lot, we’ll keep Brodie Grundy’,” Robinson said.

“One of them has got to go – if his 800 (thousand per year) goes, then Grundy can stay. So this is a really big decision by Collingwood. Do they buckle to De Goey after what’s happened? Wow.”

The Magpies are also looking to sign wantaway Brisbane Lions star Daniel McStay as a free agent this off-season, while the Demons are keen on Grundy with their ruckman, Luke Jackson, interested in a move to Fremantle.

While the AFL's silly season is yet to play out, reports have suggested Collingwood will be forced to continue to pay a significant amount of Grundy's salary.

AFL reporter Sam Edmund told SEN that Grundy was 'dissatisfied' with the club, having hoped to return to the field in black and white next year after missing much of the 2022 season through injury.

“If Adam Treloar was 10 out of 10 on the anger scale with his departure, this isn’t that far behind from my understanding,” Edmund said.

“Brodie Grundy has never been scared to speak his mind and I just wonder when it’s all said and done if he’ll express dissatisfaction with how it’s all played out.

“At the end of the day, he wanted to stay at Collingwood.

“I hope he’ll paint a picture for us when he does get to Melbourne on the other side.”

With AAP

Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.