Eddie Betts says Collingwood stars have ‘no choice’ but to play on amid the Jordan De Goey saga

Collingwood stars need to ‘put aside’ the Jordan De Goey scandal and get on with the game, Eddie Betts has insisted, with the AFL legend issuing a timely reminder of the trials his Adelaide teammates faced after their coach was murdered.

De Goey will not play against GWS on Sunday after being granted personal leave following a turbulent week in which video footage of the Pies star attempting to expose a woman’s breast in Bali circulated.

An emotional Craig McRae said on Thursday that he wants to ‘wrap my arms around him’ with the club reeling from the saga which threatens to derail the group during their strong run of form.

And former Adelaide and Carlton star Betts says that the Pies have ‘no choice’ but to keep moving forwards and pointed to how the Crows carried on playing shortly after Phil Walsh’s death in 2015.

The ex-Crows coach was murdered by his son on July 3, 2015 and the AFL chose to cancel Adelaide’s forthcoming match against Geelong, but the players stepped out onto the field on July 11 to face Hawthorn.

‘You’ve got to put everything aside now and focus on Sunday,’ he said on AFL360 on Wednesday. 

The Pies are reeling after Jordan De Goey’s wild antics in Bali during a mid-season break

De Goey won’t play against GWS and the AFL club has had to contend with the backlash

When host Mark Robinson asked whether doing so would be ‘easy’, Betts responded:  ‘You’ve got no choice, I was at a club where our coach had been murdered and we still had to go on and play, we had to somehow get out there and play the game that we love so Collingwood players have to put this aside, focus on the task at hand, they have got a big game this weekend. 

‘It was tough, and no matter how hard it was we had to gather together as troops, be close together and go out and try, somewhat, to play football. I guess this is what the Collingwood football players have to do.’

Betts added that De Goey’s focus must now be on winning back the trust and respect of his teammates, fans and the wider public.      

Betts compared the Pies’ ordeal to that faced by the Crows after Phil Walsh was murdered

Adelaide played just eight days after their beloved coach was murdered by his own son

‘It has been a tough week for the Collingwood Football Club. Jordan De Goey has stepped away. I guess now as leaders of the football club you have to put aside what he has done and be careful of his mental health. 

‘I know the psychologist at Collingwood and she will be involved, checking in with him but knowing full well what he has done, understanding what he has done and face the consequences. 

‘When you get drafted you automatically become a role model for all kids around Australia. In the AFL we set high behavioural standards and if you are not up to those standards you need to be held accountable. 

‘Jordy’s been in this situation before and I guess for him now it’s about getting that respect back from teammates, fans and the whole of Australia.’