Jon Ralph has questioned whether promising forward Darcy Moore can handle the responsibility of being the main target up forward for Collingwood this season.
The 21-year-old struggled to make an impact in the Magpies’ JLT Community Series match against Essendon last Thursday, with Bombers key back Patrick Ambrose holding Moore to only four disposals for the match.
This display leaves Ralph wondering whether the Pies’ decision to not bring in a replacement key forward for Travis Cloke was a smart one.
Cloke was traded to the Western Bulldogs for pick 76 in the AFL National Draft, and had an impact with two goals and eight marks in the Dogs’ JLT Series hit-out against Melbourne on Saturday.
“Just one little question mark for the Pies. Darcy Moore had four disposals playing on Paddy Ambrose who is going to be one of the absolute rising stars of the competition,” the Herald Sun journalist said on SEN’s The Run Home.
“I know Travis Cloke had to move on but did they also have to get sort of a punching bag in – a player who the best defender would play on?
“Paddy Ambrose isn’t an Alex Rance, he is not (Daniel) Talia - those blokes are just going to suck the living life out of Darcy Moore.
“Alex Rance is not going to Jesse White, he is not going to Chris Mayne.”
David Schwarz agreed with Ralph, and began to query whether Cloke was acting as a decoy for Moore for the entirety of the 2016 season.
“Darcy Moore is the go to man now, he’s going to get more attention than he has ever had,” he said.
“If he is going to get the best defender every week, then maybe Travis Cloke was the decoy because of his size and his reputation - he is going to command a very good defender.”
Click here to view Darcy Moore’s SEN Inside Football AFL Player Ratings.
Click here to view Travis Cloke’s SEN Inside Football AFL Player Ratings.