Collingwood coach Craig McRae has suggested captain Darcy Moore’s recent dip in form may be down to him trying to help teammates at the expense of his role.
Moore, renowned as one of the AFL’s best intercept defenders when in full flight, has been targeted in recent weeks as the Magpies have lost four of their past five matches.
The skipper has conceded six goals twice during that stretch, to Fremantle’s Patrick Voss and Brisbane’s Logan Morris, prompting questions over his positioning and decision-making.
‘Get your job done first’
McRae, speaking ahead of Saturday’s clash with Adelaide, said he sees parallels between Moore and veteran Scott Pendlebury in their tendency to prioritise others.
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“Maybe Darcy is a bit the same, he’s looking around making sure everyone else is in the spot – no, get your job done first and lead from the front," McRae said. “Trying to find the reasons why we’re making some of these decisions is challenging, but there’s a level of, ‘Get your job done first, then worry about others’.”
The coach revealed he meets with Moore weekly to review performances, but stressed the team’s recent struggles go beyond any one player.
“I don’t want to make it a one-person thing, but you’ve got to do your job in those systems to make others better,” McRae added. “We’re not going to stand still in our want to grow — whether that’s the captain, whether it’s me, whether it’s someone in our environment.”