Collingwood captain Darcy Moore has been lauded for a brilliant and classy speech after following his side’s blistering comeback win over Essendon on Anzac Day.
Moore’s Magpies came from 28 points down at three quarter-time on Tuesday to run out 13-point winners over the Bombers – thanks to a seven-goal blitz in the final quarter – in front of a record Anzac Day crowd of 95,179.
Moore post-game accepted the Anzac Day trophy before the Collingwood skipper took to the mic.
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“First of all, I want to give a massive thank you to the 95,000 fans who are here – record-breaking crowd,” Moore said. “No matter whether you wear the black and white stripes or the red sash, this game is about so much more than four points. So you turning up today and showing your support means a lot and we’re incredibly proud to play our part in this game.
“To Essendon – both Andrew (McGrath) and the team, as well as the broader club – thank you so much for making this event what it is. It means a lot to us that we can come together with your football club and commemorate the sacrifice of not just the Anzacs, but all servicemen and women who served Australia all around the world. So thank you to the Essendon Football Club.
“I want to thank and mention all men and women who are serving our country’s interests, both at home and abroad, in war and in peacekeeping operations. It means a lot to me and the team and the whole club that we can commemorate your service and your sacrifice today by doing what we do. So thank you for your service.
“To the veterans – there are over 600,000 veterans in this country who have returned from service – we also extend our thanks to you for your sacrifice and we hope that again, doing what we do today, somehow honours your legacy and what you’ve done for our country. Thank you to those 600,000 veterans as well.
“And then finally, to the families of those serving and those veterans: Too often, your stories go untold and on behalf of the Collingwood footy club, we just want to acknowledge the pain of war that runs through so many families across this country. It’s a real honour for us to run out here and play our game in honour of you and your service. So to the families of those who have served, thank you so much for your service.”
Fox Footy’s panellists were blown away by Moore’s class and word choice.
“In addition to being one of the best defenders in the game, he is a very thoughtful and eloquent young man. That speech was, frankly, incredible the way he spoke and thought about so many people. It was something we’ll remember for a long time,” Fox Footy host Sarah Jones said.
Triple Coleman Medallist Jason Dunstall labelled it “one of the best speeches I’ve ever heard on this day”.
“He made it all about the occasion and the sacrifice that has been made for us, well before us. I thought that was brilliant,” Dunstall told Fox Footy.
“The words that he chose summed it up perfectly.”
Dual premiership Kangaroo David King said the Pies “haven’t made a poor decision in a couple of years”.
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“They got the right coach. When the time was there to make a tough call, they made it. They made a change to the captaincy and they’ve absolutely nailed that,” King told Fox Footy.
“The way they’re developing these young players, the way they’re making them think and act – I know they’ve had a couple of issues off-field, but they’ve addressed them immediately. They’ve been honest as a footy club, they’ve been absolutely bulletproof for the last 18 months.
“He (Moore) just makes you proud of our code when you hear a young man speak like that. Full credit, Darcy Moore.”
