Picture this: It’s the Grand Final. It’s the last quarter. There’s a centre bounce. And Jordan De Goey kicks a goal from outside fifty.
Well, you don’t really need to because it’s happened before - twice in fact.
The 2018 version was nice, but it ultimately went in vain.
Coming in the opening seconds of the final quarter, it can often be forgotten. So, this time around, De Goey saved his moment for an even more crucial time.
After Charlie Cameron put Brisbane back in front in this year’s decider, the 27-year-old’s mind drifted back to the heartache of five years ago.
But barely a minute later, he produced a moment that will go down in Collingwood folklore.
“It was a tough position to be in because of the past in 2018 it was kind of similar circumstances, but for me I had confidence in the whole team that if we could get a goal back quickly that they might drop their heads,” De Goey remembers.
“Just going to that centre bounce, we knew what we had to do, we’ve done it so many times before.
“Obviously as the play opened up, there’s Nick’s amazing handball to me and the rest is history.
“Obviously it’s great to get on the end of it but there’s a lot of small pieces of the puzzle that help me get to that stage.
“It’s excitement but most of all you’re just wanting the ball to go through, you’re watching it making sure no one touches it. After that it’s just pure elation.”
It was the redemption De Goey had been craving for five seasons.
His 2018 finals series was heroic, kicking 12 goals in four games to very nearly drag his side over the line.
But by 2023, he’d transitioned into one of the team’s most consistent players.
Racking up more possessions than ever before and leading by example in his own way, De Goey’s on-field maturity came to the fore.
“It’s amazing, obviously 2018 was super disappointing and it kind of gave you that taste of wanting more,” he says.
“For this year to come out and taste that ultimate success it’s pretty special and the group we’ve got now is something I’m super proud of.
“I’m probably not a vocal leader, I don’t think that’s my role within the team.
“Obviously if opportunities arise within a game to take a stand for something then I do that and I think that’s probably the role I’ve taken.
“I feel like I stood up when the team needed me to stand up.”
The premiership was also significant to De Goey as he got the chance to share it with his family.
Handing the medal over to his ill Grandma will stay with him forever, as the midfielder reflected on his journey to the game’s biggest stage.
“To see the smile on my family’s face is the best thing about this whole thing so I feel like I’ve accomplished something really special,” he says.
“Pretty much everyone knows now she’s (De Goey Grandma) got cancer and she’s probably only got a couple of months to live but to see her there was super special.
“To be able to give her the medal and say ‘we did it’ was something I’ll never forget.
“She’s been huge for me personally, especially my grandpa too, they used to come to every football match as a junior.
“He would always come out at half time and give me a Gatorade, that was always his thing
“For her to be able to come and watch me in the biggest game of my life and it’s probably the cherry on top.”
Jordan De Goey’s 2023 stats:
- Career high disposals in a season with 502
- Ranked #2 at Collingwood for clearances
- All-Australian squad selection
