Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley rules Darcy Moore out of preliminary final against Richmond

COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley has ruled Darcy Moore out of the Magpies’ preliminary final blockbuster against Richmond and Ben Reid looks long odds to feature as well.

Darcy Moore tackles Jack Madgen at training. Pic: Getty Images

COLLINGWOOD won’t risk playing Darcy Moore in Friday night’s preliminary final against Richmond.

Moore has broken down with hamstring injuries in three of his seven games this season and coach Nathan Buckley said that history could not be ignored.

“Darcy’s not fit to play and just hasn’t been able to put enough of a block of training or work together and match play together to be passed fit to go,” Buckley said.

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“He’s looked good in patches, he actually trained pretty well last week, talking to him he actually went up another notch today, but if we just look at the loads he has done or not been able to do over the last month, it’s too much of a risk to take.

“Neither he nor we are confident that he could get through the whole game. We don’t have the work underneath to know that we can make that call, as we did with Tyson Goldsack, Adam Treloar and Jeremy Howe a couple of weeks ago.

“He’s had a good session today, he’ll have another session on Friday and he’ll continue to … prepare to play a role if ones comes available for the rest of our campaign.

Darcy Moore at Pies training last week. Could he be a shock inclusion? Pic: Getty Images

“It’s a hard situation. He wants to play, clearly he wants to play, we would love to have the option of playing him but he’s not passed fit so it didn’t even get to match committee.

“It’s probably being sure that you’re taking a player in that can do what’s required and part of the requirement is to play four quarters of footy, so that’s a risk we’re not prepared to take.

“The past and the history is instructive to any decision you have to make.”

Buckley said Ben Reid was fit and ready to play, but Reid would not be selected to take on the Tigers because “we think our mix is pretty good.”

Buckley said Jordan De Goey (ankle) and Brayden Sier (corkie) would be right to play.

Earlier this week, premiership Magpie Mick McGuane has called on Buckley to axe Chris Mayne for Moore while dual Brownlow Medallist Chris Judd said VFL revelation Brody Mihocek should be the man to make way.

In Round 2 Moore lasted 57 minutes before tearing his left hamstring.

Moore missed a month and then lasted just 19 minutes in his second game back (Round 8) before tearing his left hamstring again.

Brody Mihocek has been super since coming in for the Pies. Pic: AAP

Chris Mayne’s defensive work on the wing has been a key for Collingwood. Pic: Michael Klein

That injury cost him nine weeks on the sidelines. While he was brilliant at full-back against Josh Kennedy on return in Round 17, Moore was a late withdrawal in the warm-up the following week.

Moore then returned in Round 19 against Richmond but tore his right hamstring in Round 20 after playing 35 minutes.

Moore has completed just four games and has not played three consecutive games this season.

On Wednesday, Buckley clipped Moore’s manager, Liam Pickering, for providing a misleading update on SEN radio last week.

“One thing I would recommend to Liam is to talk to his player a bit more often if he wants to give medical advice,” Buckley said.

Moore remains out of contract and is being courted by Sydney. The Magpies have had a deal on the table since January although Pickering said Moore was close to re-signing.

The Magpies have form picking players based off their training form.

Teenager Nathan Murphy’s one-on-one battles against Jordan De Goey helped him replace Sam Murray (drugs suspension) in Round 22.

MOORE PAIN:

Round 2: 57 minutes

Round 8: 19 minutes

Round 18: late withdrawal

Round 20: 35 minutes