Collingwood urged to drop Darcy Moore to VFL as more damning footage emerges of captain

Darcy Moore has been dealt a brutal reality check after being called out over his underwhelming form for Collingwood and continued struggles in defence for the reigning premiers. Kane Cornes has been one of the loudest critics of the Magpies skipper, and even suggested that he may need to be dropped to the VFL to rediscover some form after another poor display in Collingwood's loss to Geelong.

Moore has failed to stamp his presence on contests this season and has consistently found himself second to the footy or out-muscled by opponents. His positional awareness and decision-making at the back for Collingwood has been frequently criticised during a worrying run of form that leaves them 12th on the AFL ladder and in danger of missing out on the finals after three consecutive defeats.

Cornes took a blowtorch to Moore earlier in the season after insisting he played “one good game in every six” but the Port Adelaide premiership winner went even harder on the Pies captain after the latest defeat to Geelong. Speaking on the AFL's Round so Far, Cornes showed several clips where Moore was caught in no man's land after rushing up to intercept a kick and leaving an opponent open when he didn't end up winning the footy.

“Here’s some vision of Moore, his timing is completely off,” Cornes said. “Leaves (Shannon) Neale there and gets himself in no man’s land. This is the behind the goals vision (and) we are showing how many times Darcy Moore makes the incorrect decision or when he goes and he doesn’t impact.

“The flow on effect from that is they end up with a free inside forward 50 and if you’re watching from the broadcast at home on TV you’re going ‘how did that Geelong player end up inside 50 all alone?’. It’s because Darcy Moore, the captain of Collingwood, wants to be free and doesn’t want to play on anyone. And when he is free his timing is all off.

“He’s had a really poor year, I’ve been strong on that, they need more from him and if he can’t put his hand up to play on the best opposition forward and you’re forcing poor old Isaac Quaynor to give away 15cm in doing it, then what are you there for? You may as well go forward. Collingwood have got forward line struggles everywhere, he’s gone forward before.

“If he doesn’t want to defend, if he keeps getting lost and becomes a liability for his side and makes them far too easy to score against, then go forward or you might have to get out of the side. That’s how bad his form has been and that vision just highlights that.”

Darcy Moore's role at Magpies questioned amid struggles

AFL great Leigh Matthews also called out Moore for trying to be an intercept marker and said while it may have worked last season with Nathan Murphy playing alongside him in defence, the absence of Murphy this year is telling. Cornes says Moore's intercept ability is simply not good enough and Collingwood cannot keep using him as a loose forward and allowing others to mark up on opposition's most dangerous forward. Cornes even went as far as suggesting the Magpies skipper may need a stint in the VFL to rediscover his form.

“How they have allowed Isaac Quaynor to play on Jeremy Cameron when you have Darcy Moore there who wants to be the loose or wants to play on the least dangerous opposition forward," Cornes said on Channel 9’s Sunday Footy Show. “That’s all well and good if you want to be the loose and you’re impacting. It’s not well and good when you’re taking one intercept mark and four kicks.

“And Jeremy Cameron said after the game... ‘I couldn’t believe Isaac Quaynor was on me’, he was excited about that match-up. Either play Darcy Moore and give him a challenge to take the opposition’s best player, or send him forward, which you know they can do or put him in the VFL to find some form. It’s almost at that level for the Collingwood captain, who clearly is not smiling now.”

Moore and the Magpies face an uphill battle to play finals footy this year after winning the flag in 2023, with tricky games against Hawthorn, Carlton, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne still to come. Saturday's match against the Hawks at the MCG looms as a crucial fixture for both sides, with Hawthorn only behind the Pies on percentage after winning six of their last seven games.