Collingwood midfielder Jordan De Goey is set to make his return from injury in the clash against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG this Friday evening.
The last time De Goey donned the Magpies’ jersey was in Round 21 of the previous season, where he recorded 12 disposals and two goals against Carlton before suffering a hamstring injury that curtailed his game.
2024 has been tough for De Goey, as he battled injuries that restricted him to just 13 matches, ultimately finishing his season early due to the hamstring setback.
Jordan De Goey during a Collingwood Magpies training session. Morgan Hancock via Getty Images
In addition to the hamstring issue, De Goey also had to deal with a groin injury that affected him during the season. To fully recover, he travelled to Qatar during the off-season.
Now, with his health concerns behind him and a solid training block completed, he has received the go-ahead to return to play after successfully navigating the Magpies’ main training session on Tuesday.
“It’s great to be back to normal,” De Goey expressed during an interview with SEN Breakfast on Thursday.
“I’ve felt like an old man for the past year, so it’s wonderful to be pain-free and I can’t wait to get back out there.”
The 29-year-old faced a disrupted pre-season due to bone bruising in his knee, which sidelined him for some time.
However, starting his season slightly later gives De Goey confidence that his fitness is up to the mark.
Jordan De Goey was subbed off after suffering a hamstring injury against Carlton in Round 21, 2024. AFL Photos via Getty Images
“I’m quite close to being fully fit,” he noted.
“Match fitness is an entirely different challenge, though. I’ll ease into the game this weekend and get my legs under me.”
“Regarding the fitness block I’ve completed, I’m definitely ready. I’ve collaborated with Jarrod Wade, our head of fitness, to establish a plan earlier in the year, and we’ve successfully adhered to it, even though I could have potentially played last week.”
“We were careful to do it the right way and waited just a bit longer to ensure I finished it thoroughly.”
As part of their centenary celebrations, the Western Bulldogs will compete under the Footscray banner for this match.
Kicking off at 7.40pm (AEDT) on Friday, the Bulldogs anticipate their largest home and away crowd ever to mark the special occasion.
Scroll down for the latest leaderboard and Round 2 predictions from Nine’s expert tipsters!
Nine’s AFL tipping leaderboard. Nine
Jimmy Bartel: Hawthorn, Collingwood, Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Geelong, Brisbane, Melbourne, Fremantle
Tom Morris: Hawthorn, Collingwood, Essendon, Port Adelaide, Geelong, Brisbane, Melbourne, Fremantle
Eddie McGuire: Hawthorn, Collingwood, Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Geelong, Brisbane, Melbourne, Fremantle
Tony Jones: Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Port Adelaide, Geelong, Brisbane, Melbourne, Fremantle
Clint Stanaway: Carlton, Western Bulldogs, Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Geelong, Brisbane, Melbourne, Fremantle
Nat Yoannidis: Hawthorn, Collingwood, Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Geelong, Brisbane, Melbourne, Fremantle
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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