De Goey’s Stellar Pre-Season Performance Hints at a Resurgent Collingwood
Collingwood’s star midfielder, Jordan De Goey, is showing promising signs early in the pre-season, with his recent performance in a match simulation against Greater Western Sydney drawing significant praise. Having welcomed his first child, Tatum, with partner Aisha during the off-season, De Goey appears to have embraced fatherhood, showcasing a revitalised and dominant presence on the field.
The 2023 premiership player, now 29, looked exceptionally fit during the clash at Latrobe University, Bundoora. He was observed running with exceptional fluidity and demonstrating his class throughout the game. De Goey proved damaging in the midfield and, when pushed forward, managed to kick a goal and was instrumental in setting up several others.
Collingwood assistant coach Matthew Boyd commented on De Goey’s impressive form. “It’s the best pre-season he’s had for quite a few years,” Boyd stated. “To see the power he’s got come to the fore so early in the season is exciting for us. The challenge will be for us to keep him out on the park and for him to keep playing with that power.” De Goey was managed by the club, being taken off the field after halftime to control his workload.
McCreery and a New-Look Midfield Shine for the Magpies
Sharing the midfield duties with De Goey for a significant portion of the first half was Beau McCreery. The 24-year-old half-forward was influential early, consistently winning possessions and applying the relentless pressure that has become his trademark.
McCreery’s pre-season hasn’t been without its hurdles, as he underwent foot surgery following an issue he managed throughout Collingwood’s 2023 finals campaign. “He looked really sharp, and it was always planned that he would play about a half of footy, which is what he got through today,” Boyd added.
The Magpies’ midfield presented a new look, with McCreery and De Goey joined by veteran Scott Pendlebury. They provided experience for a group of less-exposed players. With Darcy Cameron absent, Jack Buller, a former Sydney Swan, and Oscar Steene shared ruck duties. Ed Allan, mature-age SANFL draftee Angus Anderson, and first-year player Tyan Prindable all gained valuable midfield experience.
Anderson, in particular, impressed with his tenacity and work rate. He appears to be a player who thrives in the tough contests and is expected to quickly win over the Collingwood faithful. There’s a strong possibility he could feature in the Pies’ Opening Round clash against St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on March 8.
“Yeah, it was a new look, and it was exciting,” Boyd remarked. “It’s really exciting for the footy club to be able to expose some of our younger players to significant midfield time today, which is what they got. I really liked some of the things we saw from some of those guys; all three (Allan, Anderson and Prindable) showed really positive traits.”
Oliver Makes an Immediate Impact for the Giants
On the opposing side, veteran midfielder Clayton Oliver was arguably the best player on the ground for the Giants. Now wearing the number 10 guernsey for his new club, the 28-year-old ran tirelessly and was frequently involved in play starting from half-back.
Oliver, a four-time Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Medal winner during his time at Melbourne, appears fit, healthy, and most importantly, happy. Given the significant blow of Tom Green’s ACL injury, Oliver is expected to shoulder a considerable burden in the midfield contests, a role he excels in.
GWS Faces Growing Injury Concerns
The Greater Western Sydney Giants have endured a difficult off-season marked by a growing injury list, and this trend appears to be continuing. With Tom Green, Josh Kelly, Toby Bedford, Sam Taylor, Darcy Jones, and Finn Callaghan already sidelined, the Giants will be anxiously awaiting assessments on Kieren Briggs (leg), Callum Brown (ankle), Brent Daniels (hamstring), Jack Buckley (leg), and Cody Angove (hamstring).
The Giants are scheduled to face the Hawks in an Opening Round clash at Engie Stadium on March 7.
Match Summary and Key Absences
The match simulation concluded with the Giants securing a victory over the Magpies in a hard-fought contest, with a final score of 17.8.110 to 11.9.75. Kieren Briggs was a standout for the Giants, kicking three goals, ably supported by back-up ruck-forward Nick Madden, who also contributed three majors. For the Magpies, Jamie Elliott, Roan Steele, and Ed Allan each managed to boot two goals.
Both teams were significantly impacted by the absence of several key players. The Magpies were without Nick Daicos, Josh Daicos, Darcy Cameron, Darcy Moore, Lachie Schultz, and Jeremy Howe. The Giants’ list of unavailable players included Josh Kelly, Jesse Hogan, Toby Greene, Lachie Ash, Darcy Jones, Sam Taylor, Finn Callaghan, Toby Bedford, and Stephen Coniglio.
