Jordan De Goey in action during the Marsh Community Series. Picture: AFL Photos

COLLINGWOOD superstar Jordan De Goey will not rush finding a new manager to negotiate his next mega-contract in the wake of the game's shutdown, according to the club's football boss Geoff Walsh.

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De Goey, who is uncontracted beyond season 2020 and is set to field lucrative offers from the Pies and rival clubs throughout the year, has put talks regarding his new deal on hold after walking away from his former manager Ben Niall in February.

The young forward penned his last contract with the club in 2018, but only after he was heavily courted with lucrative offers to leave Collingwood by North Melbourne and St Kilda.

However, Walsh believes the uncertainty around his current situation is understandable given the climate, saying he does not believe the supremely talented 24-year-old needs to be in a position to negotiate his new deal at this very moment.

"I know that Jordan's in constant contact with (list manager) Ned Guy," Walsh told SEN Breakfast.

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"I just think that this unusual time has put everything on hold, particularly with Jordan trying to sort out who will manage him or under what form his management will take.

"Rather than negotiate his own deal, which would be unusual in AFL times these days, I just think that he's got all of that stuff on hold because he's like the rest of us. He's pretty unsure at the moment.

"Right now, he doesn't need a manager."

Walsh, who is one of the game's most experienced administrators, also expressed his opinion that the AFL should take the opportunity of the game's shutdown period to raise the draft age to 19.

Debate has raged throughout the suspension period as to whether young players would be better served with additional time out of school before graduating to an AFL club, with Walsh saying it's an idea that should be considered strongly by the League.

"Personally, I think to raise it to 19 … it's probably a good time now with the hiatus in the game," Walsh said.

"The arguments for it, in terms of young boys finishing their schooling … you'd be able to have a draft a little bit earlier in the year, maybe in October. That would then allow those boys to join clubs quicker.

"In my personal opinion, I think 19 has got a lot going for it."

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