Darcy Moore opens up on the most demanding year of his career and how he switches off from 24/7 footy
Strange hub haircuts are nothing new, but Darcy Moore takes particular pride in the trims he provides for his teammates. The All-Australian defender opens up on the difficulty of finding balance in an AFL season like none before.
Collingwood
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Darcy Moore flicked through the pages at a record pace.
When the football talk became all-consuming in the hub, the All-Australian found sanctuary in the chapters of 1960s classic To Kill a Mockingbird, psychological thriller Bluff, and a rock star autobiography on Rolling Stone Keith Richards.
He even delved deep into the thinking of US President Donald Trump in a book written by his niece, Mary L Trump.
As much as Moore has had an outstanding season marshalling one of the best defensive units in the competition, finding some life balance in football’s travelling roadshow has been, at times, tricky for the superstar centre half-back.
So, when he needed a break from the 24/7 footy, Moore became a bookworm.
“I have found that (balance) pretty difficult, to be honest,” Moore said.
“I’m somebody who is not a massive footy head who always lives and breathes the game, so that has been really hard living in quarantine environments with teammates and coaches.
“You aren’t really seeing anyone else, so it is a lot of footy all day every day, and it is hard to switch off from that.
“So I think I started the trip reading about a dozen books in the first couple of weeks, and then I got the clippers out.”
To help things, Collingwood tried to make a clear distinction between football mode — when players were required to wear club gear — and their own leisure time.
That’s when players could do their own thing, like study or play basketball or table tennis.
But, after whizzing through his novels, Moore then opened up a pop-up barber shop, where teammates in recent weeks have queued up for a trim.
John Noble got a “speed stripe”. Adam Treloar wanted a “skin fade”.
Atu Bosenavulagi was perhaps his best cut.
And Taylor Adams and Jack Crisp were two of the last to sit in the chair for a freshen up ahead of Saturday night’s elimination final against West Coast.
But Jamie Elliott’s do was the big one.
“I have done Jamie Elliott’s two or three times now,” Moore said.
“A few people have said, ‘I can’t believe Jamie is letting you cut his hair’ and I’m not sure whether that is a little dig at him for being vain or something,
“But yeah, when he (Elliott) said I could cut it that was definitely a landmark moment.”
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Perhaps the same could be said about Moore’s on-field performance in 2020 when the father-son gem put some niggling soft-tissue injuries behind him to become one of the premier key intercept defenders in the competition.
He was the rock in a defence which conceded the third-fewest points (average 51.8 per game) in the home-and-away rounds — behind only Port Adelaide (51.1) and Richmond (51.4).
And where the Collingwood forward half has lost steam at times this year, the back six have maintained a pretty constant choker hold on their rivals.
Moore, 24, said while it was nice to receive some individual recognition for his first All-Australian jacket, he took more pride in the backline’s performance as a unit this year.
It remains the key to their premiership hopes.
“When the team has been shipped off from city to city, and other parts of our game have fallen apart at times and been inconsistent, it has been nice that we have been able to hold our heads high and been so consistent down back,” he said.
“The backline has probably been the strongest part of our game for the whole season.
“That is something we have hung our hat on all year and are pretty proud of.”
It is why Moore was confident the Magpies had the coverage to blunt West Coast’s marking power in their cut-throat eliminator in Perth.
The Eagles inflicted Collingwood’s biggest defeat of the season in Round 8 when they triumphed by 66 points, re-opening some of the scars from the thrilling 2018 Grand Final win over the Magpies.
Even in that contest two months ago, Moore held Jack Darling goalless over their 62-minute match-up ahead of another likely showdown.
The key defender was impressive again as Collingwood triumphed by one point in a thriller on Saturday night, defying critics who said they were “making up the numbers”.
But the challenge will be as much as mental as it will be physical.
For all the hoops the team has jumped through this season, the loss to a red-hot Port Adelaide in the final round consigned the Magpies to leave their families behind on the Sunshine Coast for another week in the west.
Before the departure the players enjoyed a few drinks to celebrate Adams’ and Brayden Maynard’s birthdays and Scott Pendlebury’s 314 games record, helping draw a line on the regular season.
But then it was back on the road and back into quarantine at Joondalup Resort, leaving the grounds only three times this week to train — once at Perth Stadium and twice on an adjacent oval.
Moore said the club’s recent finals experience and record on the road would hold the club in good stead.
“We are under no illusions, it is a big challenge,” he said.
“Flying six hours across the country and then being holed up in a strict quarantine facility for seven days before the game at Optus Stadium in front of 30,000 West Coast fans (isn’t easy).
“We have had seven or eight weeks in a row playing at the Gabba, and we were feeling pretty settled at Twin Waters on the Sunshine Coast.
“But getting on the road again is almost a little bit of a refresher and there is a clear sense for us that this really is a finals game. It is really going to focus the group.
“We are a pretty mature group and we have got some guys who have played in lots of big games and lots of finals series and the last few years in particular we have got experience as a team performing in those games.
“And after the last three or four months we have had, we are as ready as we have ever been to travel as a team get the job done.
“So we have had plenty of practice, and we have got it down pat now and are pretty optimistic.”
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MOORE SET TO SHUN TIGER INTEREST
Collingwood’s superstar defender Darcy Moore says he is on the verge of clinching a contract extension to stay with the Magpies.
Moore has eliminated any doubt over where he wants to play next season, with manager Liam Pickering and Collingwood list boss Ned Guy working through the final details of a bumper new deal.
Moore, 24, deserves a decent pay day after a career-best season establishing himself as one of the top-two key defenders in the game.
The ace rebounding backman said he was going nowhere.
“Absolutely, I would love to stay, and as I understand it is getting closer and closer to being done,” Moore told the Herald Sun.
“So, that is really positive and obviously for the moment I’m pretty focused on this game and the finals series and trying to get the best result for the team.
“But as I understand it, it (a contract extension) is not far off.
“Hopefully it can become official soon and we can all move on.”
The defensive linchpin is one of two crucial signatures for the club as it attempts to fit Moore and game-breaking forward Jordan De Goey into its bulging salary cap on the back of deals for superstar ruckman Brodie Grundy and captain Scott Pendlebury.
Moore has brushed aside rumoured interest from Richmond, Western Bulldogs and Sydney Swans and is expected to sign on for at least two more seasons.
A two-year extension would keep him at the club until at least 2022, when Moore would become a free agent.
BLUE CHIP BACKMAN
Darcy Moore’s game averages in 2020:
Matches: 16
KFC SuperCoach points 80
Disposals: 13.4
Marks: 4.9
Intercept marks: 2.3
Intercept possessions: 6.4
Spoils: 6.5
Source: CHAMPION DATA
TRELOAR LIFTS LID ON MAGPIES’ BUBBLE ANTICS
- Glenn McFarlane
Adam Treloar answers the big — and little — questions ahead of Saturday night’s elimination final.
Why the Magpies can overcome the odds in Perth to keep their flag hopes alive?
Why his coach spends so much time on social media? Who is the club’s biggest X-factor for the finals? Which teammate had to postpone his wedding?
And which player deserves the three votes for team engagement in the hub?
GLENN McFARLANE: Does this trip to Perth to take on the Eagles feel like it is a bit of a hit and run mission, despite the week-long quarantine?
ADAM TRELOAR: Absolutely mate. We are away from our ‘home away from home’ which has been Queensland for the last three months. Historically as a group we love getting away and living in each other’s back pockets. We’ve done that very well since I’ve been at the footy club. That’s definitely the mindset going in.
GM: How important will it be to get off to a flying start to silence the pro-Eagles crowd?
AT: We always talk about wanting to start the game well, but I think it’s also the consistency over the game that has been a bit of an issue. We have been a lot better recently but inconsistency through games has really hurt us at times. We have patches where we play some really dominant footy, then we go through a period where we might struggle a bit. It is about finding a way to get over that hump and finding a way to get the job done. There were a couple of games where we shot ourselves in the foot, like the Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide games. It is something we can’t afford to do in this game because it is an elimination final against a high quality team.
GM: Kane Cornes says the Pies are only making up the numbers and have no chance. Does that sort of commentary steel the group?
AT: It does fire you up a little bit. But we know it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. We pride ourselves on playing well in big games. I back ourselves every week to win … because we have players in our group that hold such a high standard. There are a lot of things that need to go our way, but the feeling of not wanting to let your teammates down … is something that drives us. That is going to be what gets us over the line.
WHO’S GOING TO WIN THE FLAG?: FOOTY EXPERTS’ VIEWS
GM: Does the 66-point Round 8 loss to West Coast feel like a million years ago?
AT: It definitely does. They gave us a bit of touch up after quarter-time but we are in a much better space than what we were then. Pendles was a late out which threw us off a little bit. We didn’t play to our capabilities and we know what to expect with the way they want to play. We have also had an extra week to prepare for this.
QUARANTINE, DIRTY PIES AND THE X-FACTOR
GM: Tell us how tough it is to be living under a hard quarantine while the Eagles are quarantining home in their own beds?
AT: It’s not ideal but we knew it was the reality if we were to meet the Eagles in a home final. We love travelling as a group. This is the exact same, it is just to the extreme where we are with each other for the whole week before we play. We love being around each other. The only thing people miss is being around their families. I miss my partner and my daughter. But we have a job to do and hopefully we will get the job done on Saturday.
PIE VETERAN LOOKS FOR FAIRYTALE END
GM: In Perth, they’ve talked about the ‘dirty’ Magpies and how the Eagles are going to be too good. Do you have a bit of an ‘us against the world’ mentality?
AT: Totally, mate. But what really matters is what happens internally … we have a mindset of not worrying about what other people think because there is always going to be criticism out there. We are looking forward to letting our footy do the talking.
GM: Tell us about your fierce rivalry with the Eagles?
AT: We definitely know this team really well and they know us really well. We have played some big games over the last couple of years. Earlier on in the year they gave us a bit of a touch up after we started really well in the first quarter. I feel like we are in a much better spot now. We have played much better footy over the last month. We didn’t get the job done against the Power, but played really well. We’re not far away. To win the flag, you have to beat the best teams. We haven’t quite been able to do that over the last two years. Hopefully we can have a nice little four-week campaign into the Granny.
GM: The last time Jordan De Goey played on this ground, he kicked five goals against Geelong. Can he be the difference?
AT: He is our little X-factor. You can argue not many players are as impactful as Jordy. There are guys like Dusty and Danger and Fyfe, he is up there with them when he gets some one-on-one looks, and brings the ball to ground and gets the opportunity to win the footy. He is hard to stop. He relishes these occasions, and I think Coxy (Mason Cox) is the same. When Coxy starts well, and gets a lot of confidence, he is hard to hold down. He is so important for our forward structure. If he can bring the ball to ground and take contested marks, it helps.
THAT ‘HAMMY’
GM: You’ve had a frustrating year with injury, but how has your body been feeling since coming back from your hamstring injury in Round 17?
AT: I’m disappointed it has been such an injury-interrupted year for me. I feel like I’m at an age where the next two, three and four years are the years where I will be at the peak of my powers, and I want to be out there showcasing that and not on the sidelines. I want to be helping the boys be a part of a successful team. I’m pleased with how I have been able to come back and fit into the footy side. This time next year, I hope I haven’t missed a game and I can get through the whole year.
GM: Are there any long-term concerns with your hamstrings or have you just been unlucky?
AT: It’s not an ongoing thing that I deal with. It literally has been an unfortunate incident when it’s happened.
STEELO, SOCIAL MEDIA AND ‘THREE VOTES’ IN THE HUB
GM: How much communication has the group had with Steele Sidebottom, who is back in Melbourne looking after his newborn daughter Matilda?
AT: We all miss him and wish he was here, as he is such a vital part of our footy club. He definitely made the right choice (to return home for the birth). I think everyone likes to talk to him now individually, but he is still so invested in the footy club and in the group. He knows how we are going week in and week out.
GM: The coach has been quite active on Twitter since going into the hub. Have you noticed that?
AT: I actually don’t have Twitter, so I haven’t noticed that. But I do know he loves his social media. He is such a knowledgeable man, so why wouldn’t you be active?
GM: Which one of your teammates deserves three votes for keeping the group connected and amused in the hub?
AT: Darcy Moore is the resident hairdresser and he sent out a group message a couple of hours ago, saying ‘I’m up for work now, so if anyone wants to check in, come and see me’. He cut my hair a couple of weeks ago. Before my first game (against Gold Coast), I needed a trim, and he did a terrific job. The ability for everyone to be able to lean on each other during this time has been great. The fact we have our families in the hub in Queensland has been so good. It has been a blessing for me because I have been pretty much around (daughter) Georgie from the moment she was born (in March). She has spent nearly four months of her six months living in Queensland, so she is a Queensland baby at the moment. It’s a blessing having her up there.
FATHERHOOD
GM: It’s been a weird year all around, but how grateful have you been to spend so much time with your daughter, while still playing footy?
AT: She was born two days after Round 1. When you have children, it makes you realise what’s important in life and what’s not. After our game against Gold Coast, it was my first game back. I had quite a few messages (of support) from friends and family, but the first thing I did was go straight to (partner) Kim with a message ‘How’s Georgie?’
GM: You’ve been very open and honest talking about your anxieties in the past. Has fatherhood made things so much clearer in terms of your perspective?
AT: You are spot on. Not only does it keep you grounded, but it makes you realise what is important in life. I can only talk about it on my behalf, but the things I used to stress about and lost sleep over are irrelevant now. A lot of it was to do with football and performance anxiety, but in the greater scheme of life, it’s irrelevant now that I have this little bundle of joy, who is the spitting image of me. I am no more driven than before Georgie was born in terms of football. I am so passionate about playing football and helping the team win. But it is not something I lose sleep over anymore. It is not something I need to stress about. I know there is this little angel in my life who needs me and who is the priority in life.
GM: How supportive has Kim been through the hub process?
AT: Kimmy is obviously an athlete herself. For her to initially make that sacrifice to give birth and give up playing a year of netball at the age of 26, and then move up to Queensland with me, has been incredible. One day she wants to get back playing netball again. She is so inspiring for me.
GM: You’re engaged to Kim. COVID hasn’t meant you have had to postpone the wedding, has it?
AT: Fortunately not, mate. I know Joshy Thomas has had to. His wedding was booked at the end of next month. He has to change it. You feel for him but it is what it is. You can’t really control anything at the moment.
MISSING MELBOURNE
GM: What do you miss the most about Melbourne?
AT: It would have to be my dogs. I’ve got a Siberian husky (Griffin) and he is turning eight soon. I’ve also got a golden retriever (Sunny) who is one. He is inseparable with Griff. A close friend, Mick, is looking after them. I miss my family and friends too, and also my own house. But the main thing I miss is my dogs.
GM: How much have you missed the Magpie Army?
AT: I’ve missed communicating with them and socialising with them at our events and our open training sessions. We miss not being able to play in front of the black and white army of 70 or 80,000 people at games. It’s definitely an advantage for us. Hopefully we get that opportunity next year.
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GM: What does the Collingwood Football Club mean to you?
AT: It means so much. I think the turning point came in the pre-season going into 2018. But we are not just here to have one good year and then be done with it. We are here to have sustained success. I feel like we have had that over the last three years. I want to be in the same position next year, preparing for another finals appearance. I love the group, each and every player. I love the coaches. I love the staff. I love everything we are about as a footy club. I fully believe if we play the best footy we can and stick to that level, we are always going to be a hard team to beat.
Originally published as Darcy Moore opens up on the most demanding year of his career and how he switches off from 24/7 footy