Darcy Moore will take to the field for his 100th game this Saturday against Geelong.
The son of Collingwood legend, Peter Moore, Darcy says he remembers being around the Collingwood Football Club from a young age which has helped make him the player he is today.
“Around 17 and 18 years-old, I had a lot of exposure to the inner sanctum of the club, training with the guys and understanding the minutiae of the job,” Moore told collingwoodfc.com.au.
“Meeting with nutritionists, physios, weight guys and getting that stuff out of the way when I was at that young age helped so that when I was drafted, I had a really good understanding of the job of being an AFL player and what the environment was at Collingwood which probably made it a bit easier coming in.”
After spending time with the Oakleigh Chargers in the NAB League, Moore was selected by the Pies at pick nine in the 2014 NAB AFL draft under the father-son rule.
He went on to make his AFL debut the following season in round 14 against Hawthorn.
“It was an exciting time and just a dream come true for me. I remember being quite ambitious and impatient and wanted to make an impact right away,” Moore said.
“I’d walked through the doors as an 18-years-old and remember having an unfamiliar feeling being the bottom four or five players on the list and realising how much work there was do to do work my way up.”
With great speed and aerial strength, Moore has established himself as a key defender and after an outstanding 2020 season, the 25-year-old was awarded his first All-Australian blazer. His athleticism has also seen him feature in the Pies' forward line at times and has managed to boot 65 goals in his career to date.
But Moore’s journey hasn’t been all smooth sailing, with the Pies’ number 30 having battled his fair share of injuries early in his career.
“I’ve definitely learnt the hard way how much physical preparation AFL footy requires. I’ve had a lot of injury setbacks and dealt with a lot of frustration over that time.
“I’ve come out of it with a solid physical plan and a really strong physio and prep program which has allowed me to go out and play which is the dream and is something that I didn’t have for a few years so I’m really stoked about that.”
Throughout the 2021 season, Moore has continued to be dependable down back, averaging 16.4 disposals 3.5 intercept marks.
Highly respected by his teammates, he was also elected a member of the club’s leadership group for this season. During his seven years at the club to date, Moore has learnt many important lessons along the way that have helped him become the leader he is today.
“Overtime, you gain a clearer understanding of what the AFL level takes to perform every week and the mental and psychological skills you need to cope with the different stresses.
“Seeing younger guys go through similar experiences I did when I was their ages, it’s really nice to be able to help and to throw an arm around them when it’s hard because it’s a really difficult industry and a tough job.”
With Victoria in lockdown this weekend, Moore says it is unfortunate that his friends and family won’t be able to help celebrate his first significant milestone but acknowledged their support in helping him reach such an important mark in his career.
“A memory [of being drafted] was Mum, Dad and all my sisters getting a real thrill out of seeing me achieve my dreams and I suppose that’s coming around again with 100 games. Seeing how excited they are is a really cool, gratifying part of it.”
“It’s really disappointing not to have family in the rooms and do the normal things to celebrate it, but I’m sure it’ll still be a special moment for them watching on TV.
“Reaching 100 games is a significant life achievement and something I’m excited about it. It’s a really cool achievement regardless of whether fans are in the stands or watching from home.”
