Collingwood rising star Jordan De Goey says he is excited about a future that could feature him and the club's main trade target Adam Treloar as key parts of a midfield machine driving towards a premiership.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Treloar is still technically a Greater Western Sydney player, but has told the club he wants to be traded to Collingwood, to accept an offer that could be worth $4 million over six years, or roughly $700,000 a season.
It seems a matter of when, not if, the deal will be done, and De Goey said he could not wait to continue his development alongside the 22-year-old next year.
"I really rate him highly," De Goey, 19, said before Wednesday's AFL Rising Star award lunch at Crown. "To have his skills and knowledge at the club is going to be really exciting.
"I'll probably go up in the midfield with him in the next few years. I'm looking forward to learning as much as I can off him."
Treloar's decision to choose the Pies over several other suitors means coach Nathan Buckley will have a midfield fleet containing a 17-year-old access selection (Treloar), a No.5 pick (De Goey), a No.10 pick in injured youngster Nathan Freeman and another former Giant, Taylor Adams, a former No.13 pick.
All four players are under 23, as is surprise packet recruit Jack Crisp. The Pies also have upside in another recruit, 26-year-old Levi Greenwood, while captain Scott Pendlebury is still only 27.
Despite a deflating end to the season, punctuated by the final-round loss to Essendon, De Goey said he expected the Pies to make a run next year, especially if the likes of Freeman and former No.6 pick Matt Scharenberg – both players held back by injury – come on strong.
"We've been a bit unlucky with injury with the first-year draft picks from a couple of years ago. So I think it's a really exciting time for the club if we get all those guys back and maybe some more new players in. We should have a good season next year," he said.
De Goey is one of the success stories of last year's draft class, living up to his reputation as a ready-made prospect, particularly as a polished mover in heavy traffic.
He played 16 games, ranking sixth at the club for clearances, despite not yet being one of the key inside-the-contest players.
"It was a big leap of faith for Bucks to show that much trust in me to go out and play my role in so many games," De Goey said. "Overall, I think it was probably the best thing for me. It really gave me the exposure that I needed to develop quickly for next year."
