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A year ago, Collingwood star Jordan De Goey turned his back on free agency and re-signed with the club. Now he's in a grand final.

Among the questionable and sometimes terrible decisions Jordan De Goey has made during his AFL career, there's also the very correct call to stay at Collingwood.

That decision a year ago has led directly to Saturday's grand final against Brisbane, where he looms large as arguably the game's important player.

De Goey was outstanding in Friday night's one-point preliminary final win over GWS and it would be no surprise if he wins the coveted Norm Smith Medal as best afield in the premiership decider.

He has enjoyed a solid season and finally appears to be finding stability after his well-documented problems off the field.

At the end of last season, he could have pursued free agency and was linked to St Kilda.

Instead, the dynamic utility signed a five-year deal and has not looked back.

"The culture we've created, or 'Fly' (coach Craig McRae) has created - we have so many great young players as well, which definitely helps the decision as well," De Goey said.

"But if you're happy and enjoying the club you're in, you're going to be playing some really good footy.

"Off the back of that, you can see what we've been able to achieve, which has been awesome."

De Goey was the centre of attention on Sunday as the Collingwood players had a media session to start grand final week.

"In terms of growing and evolving, I think I've done a fair bit of that as a person. There's still plenty more to go," he said

"I'm just looking forward to this week and hopefully getting the job done."

De Goey joked about the frenetic end to last Friday night, when he was stranded on the interchange bench because the play was across the other side of the MCG.

"It was actually a pretty good situation to be in - I didn't have to do much. It was everyone else's turn to get the job done," he said of the high-stress moment.

"Obviously Billy had that stoppage and had a really good clearance.

"In terms of being able to relax, it was probably the best part of the game."

"Billy" is Magpies forward Jamie Elliott, who missed their 2018 grand final loss because of injury, but has played 23 games this season.

"The longer you're in this system and the older you get, the more you want ultimate success," Elliott said.

"I don't have many years left. I know after the win last week, I was pretty happy and it was hard not to show emotion."

De Goey and Elliott expressed full faith in on-baller Taylor Adams making the right call as he returns from the hamstring injury that sidelined him last week.

"With Tay, I have full trust in him to make that decision. He would never put the team in jeopardy," De Goey said.

"Whatever it is, we'll roll with it."

Adams did not take part in the Magpies' light training run at the AIA Centre on Monday.

Darcy Moore, Jeremy Howe and the Daicos brothers, Josh and Nick, also missed the session.