Collingwood captain Darcy Moore has been subbed out of his side’s AFL clash with Geelong after sustaining a hamstring injury.
The skipper’s injury is a major blow for the Pies, with a potential first final just 28 days away.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Darcy Moore sustains a hamstring injury against Geelong.
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“Unfortunately a potentially big story regarding Darcy Moore. He has gone to the rooms with the doctor. Pies fans will be hoping nothing major. A pretty ordinary start,” 7NEWS Melbourne’s Tom Browne said.
More grabbed at his hamstring while running across the ground completely alone in what was an innocuous incident.
“This is a massive story in the game,” Brian Taylor said during commentary for Channel 7.
“If it’s not a cramp, it’s definitely hamstring. Ginnivan will get the message shortly. So, this would be a huge blow. Any hamstring we know is somewhere between two and four (weeks).”
Channel 7 boundary rider Abbey Holmes confirmed at quarter time that Moore had been subbed out and replaced by Jack Ginnivan.
“This is a massive story brewing for the Collingwood Football Club,” she said.
“Their captain has been subbed out. Jack Ginnivan comes in.
“But this is big; we’re on the eve of finals now. We are yet to understand the severity of this hamstring. But we are very hopeful and so is the Collingwood Football Club, that it is on the minor side of that.”
Moore has a checkered history of hamstring injuries, especially early in his career, when he struggled to string consistent games together during a retched run.
Speaking to Channel 7 at half time, Collingwood footy boss Graham Wright said the Magpies’ medical staff’s initial diagnosis was “hamstring tightness” — though Luke Hodge was doubtful of that.
“Turn it up, Wrighty!” Hodge said of the diagnosis.
“He is trying to pull one over our eyes. That’s a genuine ‘string.”
The injury comes at the worst time for Collingwood, who had only just been dealt the news of the knee injury of former Brownlow Medal favourite, Nick Daicos.
Daicos, the Pies’ best player this year, will be sidelined for up to six week after getting crunched in a marking contest against the Hawks last week.
Despite knowing his night — and possibly home and away season — was finished, Moore drew praise from Richmond great Matthew Richardson for staying involved by still attending the quarter-time huddle with his teammates.
“Outstanding by Darcy because I mean, he knows what he’s in for; he’s had hamstring issues before, 2019, 2018, so he knows what’s in front of him,” Richardson said.
“But that’s the leader he is. He is a really positive, vibrant leader and that really showed at that quarter time break. Not thinking of himself at all.”
Luke Hodge said Moore would still have a role to play throughout the night.
“That’s where he can give feedback to the coaches as well,” he said.
“See players come off, he can go and chat to the other leaders that are coming to the other leaders that are coming to the bench. So you can have anadvantage on the bench while being injured.”
The Magpies had another scary moment just minutes later when star midfielder Jordan De Goey pulled up lame after a marking contest.
There were initial fears the talismanic superstar had followed his skipper with another hamstring injury, but a corked thigh appeared more likely thereafter.
De Goey soon returned to the field.
Gary Rohan was also subbed out for Geelong just minutes after Moore’s substitution for Collingwood.
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