Collingwood have ruled out premiership captain Darcy Moore for the remainder of the 2026 season after he suffered a fresh hamstring injury during training on Tuesday. The 30-year-old defender will undergo surgery on his right leg and is expected to target a full pre-season later this year.
Stop-start season marred by injuries
Moore has endured a challenging campaign, managing only 12 games due to multiple soft-tissue injuries and a concussion. The latest setback, a hamstring strain in the same right leg that previously troubled him, has ended his season prematurely.
“I’m disappointed to be missing the remainder of the season after what’s already been a challenging year for me personally, not being able to consistently get out on the field and contribute to the team,” Moore said in a club statement.
Surgery and rehabilitation plan
Moore will now focus on rehabilitation, with the goal of being fully fit for the start of the 2027 pre-season. “While I’m gutted that my 2026 season has come to an early end, I’ll continue working closely with our high-performance team and put everything into my rehabilitation to ensure I’m ready for the start of pre-season,” he added.
Collingwood football boss Charlie Gardiner confirmed the injury details and outlined Moore’s ongoing role. “Darcy has unfortunately sustained a hamstring injury in the same right leg as his previous injury, which is incredibly disappointing for both Darcy and the Club,” Gardiner said.
Off-field leadership role
Despite being sidelined, Moore will remain an integral part of the club, taking on an important leadership role. “Although Darcy has had a challenging year individually and won’t play again this season, he’ll continue to play an important leadership role, driving performance and supporting our players and coaches over the coming weeks,” Gardiner stated.
Moore also thanked fans for their support. “I also want to thank the fans in the Magpie Army for their support and well wishes over this time. Injuries are never easy but having the passionate support of so many of you makes the recovery and return much easier,” he said.
