Roos go hard after Pie

A “GODFATHER” offer has arrived for rising Collingwood star Jordan De Goey, with AFL rival North Melbourne making him an offer it believes he can’t refuse.

After tempting Dustin Martin and Josh Kelly with massive bids last year, the Kangaroos are dangling a carrot at De Goey said to be worth $5 million over five years.

De Goey is out of contract at the end of the season and has been in strong form. Adam Treloar’s long-term hamstring injury last Sunday means De Goey will be even more important for the Magpies as they aim for their first finals series since 2013.

De Goey’s manager, Ben Niall, talked up his value earlier this month, saying rival clubs were circling.

“If he can stay then ob- viously we would like to be able to facilitate that,” Niall said. “But if he gets a Godfather offer, what do you do?

“We’re in that sort of situation that we’re not looking to leave.”

The obvious complication for De Goey is his off-field indiscretions, but Niall has dismissed that as a factor.

The current good news about De Goey is in stark contrast with the start of the season, when he served a club suspension for drink-driving then suffered a hamstring injury that delayed his comeback until Round 4. De Goey also was in trouble early last year for lying to the Magpies after he broke his hand in a bar brawl, initially blaming the injury on an accident while playing with his dog.

After the drink-driving episode, Collingwood football manager Geoff Walsh famous- ly said De Goey could have a long career at the club or a very short one.

Negotiations were put off until mid-year because of the drink-driving incident.

“I don’t think there’s a discount for ‘bad behaviour’, in inverted commas,” Niall said.

“I would say that’s more about what is the typical price to stay and what is the premium with which it becomes more difficult to stay.”