Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley claims Jordan De Goey’s concussion caused the Magpies star to inadvertently access his phone during an AFL game.
The club has received a “please explain” after De Goey was caught on camera picking up two phones and giving one to teammate Jeremy Howe when the injured pair were in the change rooms during Friday night’s loss to West Coast.
AFL rules bar players from using their phones during games due to integrity concerns, with only 10 people per club allowed to access them.
Buckley claimed De Goey did not deliberately break the rules but was simply “not thinking straight”.
The dynamic forward will miss at least 12 days to comply with the AFL’s concussion protocols and sit out the Anzac Day clash with Essendon.
“The bloke we’re talking about who grabbed the phones had just been omitted from the game for concussion,” Buckley told Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
“We’re understaffed at the moment after COVID (job cuts) so most of our (staff) were hands on deck.
“We had a couple of injured players and the bloke that grabbed the phones wasn’t deemed well enough to continue playing a game of footy due to a knock to the head.”
The 27-point defeat to the Eagles at Optus Stadium left Collingwood at 1-4 with pressure mounting on Buckley, who is in his 10th season as coach.
One of the greatest players in the club’s history, Buckley said he was determined to lead the Magpies out of their current predicament.
“I have a great passion for the club, I have a great passion for helping young men make their way through it, and we’ve been challenged quite a bit on and off the field as an organisation,” Buckley said.
“You look at our win-loss right now, we’re 1-4; I’m accountable to that, I take responsibility to that, but I also don’t think it’s dire.”
Macca
Roar Rookie
Always a class act
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Pendlebury said the right thing..."we are educated enough about it"
Macca
Roar Rookie
If he had of just put his hand up and said, yep we made a mistake and the club will pay all fines the issue would have been over before it began but instead he plays the rest of the world for mugs.
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
A lot of fuss about nothing, really.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
It is a bit lame Macca tbh. The first thing I thought is "oh dear, that's a stretch".
Macca
Roar Rookie
No one really cares about the phones, the poor leadership from Buckely manufacturing another ridiculous excuse is another matter,
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Who cares, we move on.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
Whatevs. There's really nothing in this. Not even newsworthy.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Really poor from Bucks. I agree with the sentiments that it should be a fine for the club. No staff is no excuse, the phones should have been locked away.
craftydi
Guest
For mine the club needs to gag Buckley big time as the stuff coming out of his mouth of late is a huge problem for the club. First his comments re Treloar saga & now this. None of it believable!!
craftydi
Guest
Absolutely spot on. Getting so sick & tired of Buckleys lame excuses on anything g Collingwood. Treloar episode with his obviously made up comments and handling of same and now this. Time for him to go. In my book he should have gone years ago... if it was another club with Buckley's record... out the door.
DTM
Roar Rookie
Disappointed with Buckley's comments which show poor leadership. Pendlebury on the other hand said it was wrong and the club had to face whatever sanctions the AFL deemed appropriate. To me, it's a fine for the club as the player's shouldn't have even had access to the phones. No sanctions for the players.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
1927
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Yeah I'm sure they were grabbing their phones for a quick punt Chucks, no doubt about it.
Macca
Roar Rookie
To me this excuse is worse, if you have a player so concussed he doesn't know what is going on why was he allowed to wonder around unsupervised and get access to his phone where he could have had a serious breach. And isn't HOwe a leader at the club - he wasn't concussed was he?
Gyfox
Roar Rookie
Why weren't the phones locked away - this is supposed to be the rule, isn't it?