The first clash between AFL premiers Collingwood and Melbourne in 2024 is set to be heated after premiership winner Jordan De Goey took aim at Demon defender Steven May and his claims his team was “so much better” than the Magpies.
During Melbourne’s best and fairest May declared his team, which has lost its past four finals and failed to even make a preliminary final, should have “smoked” Collingwood who won their semi-final clash by seven points.
“And to sit there on grand final day and watch them hoist the cup, and get the medals, I’m sitting there going ‘geez, our team’s so much better than these guys’,” May told the audience.
“We should’ve been out there, but we weren’t.”
Given his right of reply on Tuesday, De Goey said enough to ensure the next time the two teams met would be fiery.
“I just think the proof’s in the pudding,” De Goey told the Today show.
“I guess I’m the one with the medal around my neck at the moment, so that’s all I can really say.
“It‘s going to be interesting next year after (him) saying that, isn’t it?”
De Goey, who spends plenty of time in the Magpie forward line, will be close enough to May when they play to let him know what he really thinks.
The Magpies could bolster their premiership-winning out fit with the addition of Fremantle goalkicker Lachie Schultz, who has requested a trade to Collingwood, but are set to lose vice-captain Taylor Adams to Sydney.
Despite Adams’ departure, De Goey was adamant Collingwood was good enough to go back-to-back next season.
“We’ve got the list. We can do it again,” he said.
“All the boys are just as hungry as they’ve ever been. Everyone dares to dream and back-to-back would be great, but you’ve got a long way to get there first.”