“In the interim,De Goey will not be permitted to train or play with Collingwood or make use of club resources,staff or facilities. Collingwood is deeply disappointed by reports and events of the last 48 hours involving De Goey in the US. Given the circumstances,the club believes it is appropriate to remove him from the AFL program.

“Collingwood has been in contact with De Goey and his management today and has explained to both its decision.”

In a statement,the NYPD said De Goey had been charged with “forcible touching”. Police alleged he “grabbed buttocks and vagina outside clothing without permission or authority to do so of a 35-year-old female”. He was also charged with assault,having allegedly “punched with a closed fist and kicked a 37-year-old male causing pain and swelling. Continued to punch and kick victim while victim was on floor with a co-defendant”.

Dyson,28,was also charged with forcible touching and assault,where he had allegedly “struck 37-year-old male in the face with a glass bottle causing swelling to lip. Continued to punch and kick victim while victim was on floor with a co-defendant”.

De Goey and Dyson had been drinking and partying at the PHD Rooftop Lounge at the Dream Hotel on West 16th street about 2.30am when they approached a woman on the dance floor.

Dyson and De Goey were arrested at the scene and taken into custody. Police said all parties involved in the incident were intoxicated.

The AFL released a statement on Sunday evening,rubber-stamping Collingwood’s move.

Leading lawyer David Galbally,QC,toldThe Age that De Goey was facing jail time if found guilty of indecent assault. In Australia,indecent assault can carry a jail term of five years,while gross indecency can be more than 10 years.

“If it’s any form of indecency,in terms of indecent assault,it carries a jail sentence. I would think judges have discretion,but they will want to send a message,he being a footballer,they will want to send a message,loud and clear,” Galbally said.

“The police will get every detail about him,every bit of background … and they will run it in court.”

De Goey,who has frustrated Magpies officials through the years by not keeping in shape during the off-season,has spent time during his official leave period training hard at The W Training Facility in southern California under his Monster Energy partnership.

The match-winning forward-midfielder is off contract next season and is expected to be one of the hottest free agents on the market,hoping to land a contract of more than $900,000 a season.

However,Galbally said the Magpies could have grounds to sack De Goey,regardless of whether De Goey was found guilty.

“They would have grounds to terminate his contract if convicted,” Galbally,a former Collingwood board member,said.

“They would probably need to wait to see what happens in terms of what he does,if he pleads guilty or fights it,but,yes,this would be regarded as gross misconduct ... although with his past history,they could go ahead and do it and he would risk having everything aired if he was to bring a breach-of-contract claim. It would all be aired publicly.

“If he said:‘You[Magpies] couldn’t terminate my contract,you had no right to do it,’ they would say:‘Yes,we did,for the following reasons’. Then if he issued legal proceedings and it went to court,Collingwood would run every indiscretion he has had. He would be made a public laughingstock,as it were,just to coin a phrase.”

In August,De Goey had an indecent assault charge withdrawn and Victoria Police has been ordered to pay his legal costs.

The charge related to an allegation of indecent assault of a woman in Kew on June 21,2015. Co-accused Jake Edginton also had the same charge withdrawn.

De Goey has a long list of misdeamenours,including being fined $2075 in August by the Melbourne Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to road offences,including speeding while driving a sports car when he was a P-plater and sending text messages when stationary at traffic lights.

In 2018 De Goey wascaught drink-driving while on his P-plates and fined $10,000 and suspended by Collingwood. That incident came a year after he was suspended by his club forlying about how he suffered a broken hand in a bar fight in St Kilda.

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