JORDAN De Goey is the hottest player in the game right now.

In fact, the Collingwood dynamo is one of just three players in the AFL to kick five or more goals twice this season. The others? North Melbourne's Ben Brown and Richmond's Dustin Martin. 

There's no coincidence, then, that De Goey's style of play is so reminiscent of Richmond's reigning Brownlow and Norm Smith medallist.

SIX OF THE BEST: De Goey puts Saints to the sword

Like Martin, De Goey plays with power – when he attacks the ball on the ground or in the air, when he's slapping away an attempted tackle or when he's bursting towards an open goal.

De Goey, who stands at 191cm and 91kg, has great instincts and plays with a swagger only the great players tend to possess. 

Unsurprisingly, the 22-year-old's numbers stack up favourably to Martin's at the same stage of their careers.

The Magpies forward has booted an equal team-high 15 goals since returning from a hamstring injury in round four, including 12 majors over the last two weeks.

But when you delve a little deeper, you get a fuller appreciation of the impact De Goey has made on a Collingwood side that has tended to lack a go-to target inside forward 50.

With Ben Reid and Darcy Moore sidelined by injury, Collingwood has made De Goey its centrepiece in attack and coach Nathan Buckley has done a brilliant job of moulding the forward line to maximise De Goey's talents.

In 2018, De Goey has won 72 per cent of his possessions in the attacking half compared to just 28 per cent in the defensive half.

De Goey has been targeted inside 50 on 27 occasions (ranked No.3 at the club) and for good reason, too, with the Magpies forward winning possession 48 per cent of the time he has had the football kicked to him. 

This is almost spooky!

Dustin Martin and Jordan De Goey are like a mirror image. pic.twitter.com/2t1ZPd1X3C

— AFL (@AFL) May 22, 2018

Taken with pick No.5 in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft, De Goey has also kicked a goal 26 per cent of the time he has been targeted – ranked seventh in the AFL. Although, it has to be factored in that De Goey has played just six matches this year.

Stationing De Goey inside forward 50, often as the Magpies' deepest forward, is not by accident – it's by design.

Isolating De Goey as the deepest forward is a structure Collingwood has been practising at training for several weeks, with tall target Mason Cox pushing higher up the ground to provide a contest on the wing and across half-forward.

Cox's major role, as the bail-out option when Collingwood is forced to kick the ball down the line, is to make sure he competes and brings the ball to the deck.

The Magpies are not too worried if the ball gets over the back of the marking contest as their forwards, notably Josh Thomas and Jaidyn Stephenson, push high up the ground to often allow De Goey to operate one-out against his opponent.

De Goey is dangerous when he's on 'an island' with just he and his opponent, with the Magpie winning five of his 10 (50 per cent) one-on-one contests this season. That is the the equal-fifth best percentage in the AFL of the 57 players to be involved in at least 10 one-on-one contests since round four. 

Collingwood's coaching staff emphasise to their players the importance of winning groundballs inside 50 and there's no doubt De Goey excels in this area.

Eerily similar to De Goey, Martin has won 68 per cent of his possessions in the forward half and 32 per cent in the defensive half.

However, Martin (187cm and 92kg) is spending the majority of his time through the midfield in 2018, while De Goey's positioning is much more slanted to the forward line.

HOT, HOT, HOT: Heat maps reveal where De Goey and Martin have won their possessions in 2018

The similarity between the pair is uncanny. That Martin and De Goey have had their issues away from the field provides yet another link between the superstar and his potential protégé. 

Internally, Collingwood believes De Goey could follow a similar path to Martin and become as damaging a midfielder as he is a goal-kicking forward.

Magpies recruiting manager Derek Hine told AFL.com.au's Road to the Draft podcast earlier this month that De Goey's ceiling was endless.

ROAD TO THE DRAFT: Listen to the latest podcast now

"Statistically at the same age they're not dissimilar," Hine said.

"I'm an unabashed fan of Jordy. The sky's the limit with him, it really is. We forget he hasn't done a pre-season yet. He's got power, he's strong overhead. How far can he go? Who knows.

"He's just really starting to look at and get what's required. Personally, I'm extremely proud of him and the way he's going about it, and I know the rest of the club is as well."

De Goey is yet to re-sign with the Magpies and will look to open discussions later in the year once he has fully re-established himself in the club's side.

The Magpies have been pleased with how he has responded following a series of off-field indiscretions in recent times and his form is reflecting the settled environment the club has provided.

Opposition teams have already pegged De Goey as a player worth pursuing and based on what he has produced so far this season, and what he is capable of becoming, is there any wonder?

Jordan De Goey's ability in the air and on the ground makes him exceptional. Picture: AFL Photos