Dual Brownlow Medallist Peter Moore says the way in which Collingwood moves the ball makes life extremely tough for forwards – including his son Darcy.
The Magpies have flagged the likelihood of using Darcy in defence next season, leaving the goalkicking duties to the likes of Ben Reid, Mason Cox and injured duo Alex Fasolo and Jamie Elliott.
Peter Moore told SEN Mornings that coach Nathan Buckley’s game style hasn’t been conducive to forwards kicking big bags of goals.
“One of the problems at Collingwood is the way they play. Their chosen game plan is a five-man forward line playing on seven defenders, so it’s very difficult for forward to kick a lot of goals and get a lot of opportunities,” he said.
“The other issue is their entries into the forward half were absolutely hopeless in the first half of last year. They are working hard to improve that and try and get better deliver and also move the ball a bit quicker.
“When you add all that up, forward line is not the best spot you can be at Collingwood and Collingwood forwards don’t kick a lot of goals.”
Having received a two-year contract extension at the end of last season, the 249-gamer said that the clock is ticking for Buckley to find right formula moving forward.
“Bucks has been very well supported. Eddie’s very loyal to him and has really given him everything that he could possibly want – he’s got the coaches he wants, the players he wants – it is set up the way he wants it,” he said.
“Now the challenge for him is can he convert and make that team competitive?
“A lot of people say its game plan issues and the way they go about it. I don’t know what it is, but whatever it is, doesn’t work, so he has to figure it out…and pretty quickly.
Moore isn't the first past player, and father of a player, to question Collingwood's game style.
Earlier this year, David Cloke levelled the same criticism at Buckley following his son Travis's move to the Western Bulldogs, saying that he was made to be a "scapegoat" by the coaching staff at the Magpies.
“He’s got rid of all the players who wanted to run and carry the ball. He got rid of Heath Shaw. He got rid of Harry O’Brien. Nick Maxwell retired and they never replaced them with players who ran and carried the ball," Cloke told the Herald Sun in April.
“The thing is, Travis has (now) got a coach who’s got a game style which wants to get the ball into the forward line.
“Whereas at Collingwood ... and they’re doing the same with Darcy Moore now.
“They will destroy him because they have a game style which revolves around their midfielders getting high possessions, but don’t get the ball into their forward half."
Moore said that Darcy’s move to the backline won’t be foreign territory for the 21-year-old, having spent time there at Oakleigh Chargers.
“He played there as a junior just so that he can learn to play it in under 17s and 18s,” he said.
“It’s an easy spot back there – you usually outnumber the opposition and you just cruise around marking the ball uncontested.
“It’s a lot easier job back there because there is not a lot of one-on-one and if you can cover the ground you can play defence (but) I like him in the ruck as well.
“I think they should just stay flexible and play him wherever the team needs him most.”
While the Magpies have been criticised over recent years for some of their list management decisions, Moore believes that under Derek Hine, the club has built a good list – especially in the middle of the ground.
“I like the list, but I’m probably a bit biased because I like the guys,” he said.
“It’s a pretty strong list…a good midfield, certainly.”
Listen to the full chat with Magpie legend Peter Moore below!