Pies coach backs De Goey ahead of court date for driving charges

Collingwood star Jordan De Goey is set to face the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court after allegedly being caught driving while suspended and using his phone while driving.

Twice banned by the club for his off-field indiscretions, the 24-year-old was due to face Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday, but will have his case adjourned until further notice due to coronavirus measures taken by the court system.

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley spoke on Wednesday about De Goey’s impending court date.

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“I can confirm his dog wasn’t driving so we can put that one to rest,” Buckley joked.

“Obviously it’s something from nearly 12 months ago and Jordy will go through that as he’s been asked to.

“He’s made a few blues and slip ups and blues over the time… you don’t have to be Robinson Crusoe there.

“It’s something he’s put his hand up and he’s obviously taken ownership for it and paid the price for doing the wrong thing at the time, and this is now a matter in the hand of the courts.

“We’ve all lived less than perfect lives and made mistakes as we’ve gone along but not all of us have them splashed across the front page.”

Buckley also said De Goey has returned from the coronavirus hiatus in great shape.

“From a football perspective he has come back in great shape, he’s really engaged, in great knick and looking forward to the season starting.”

The forward star is out-of-contract at the end of the year and is one of the competition’s biggest names.

Collingwood will play the Tigers to restart the AFL season on June 11.

In February 2018, De Goey was caught drink driving, returning a blood alcohol reading of 0.095 when the P-plater should have been at zero.

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The club told him to find employment elsewhere for at least four weeks after that incident and he was fined $10,000.

He also had to make a $10,000 donation to charity.

A year earlier, he copped a three-match club ban after lying to the Magpies about a broken hand, injured in a St Kilda bar fight.

He claimed he was injured while playing with his dog and had already missed three weeks while recovering.

Last year he told AAP he'd given another club youngster, Jaidyn Stephenson, advice on how to handle scrutiny around AFL bans.

"Everyone's young once and everyone (stuffs) up sometimes," he said.

- AAP