DARCY Moore has been appointed captain of Collingwood, continuing his family's incredible legacy at the club.
The 27-year-old's father, Peter, captained the Magpies in 1981 and 1982, and Darcy has taken the reins from Scott Pendlebury after a club-record 206 matches.
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Taylor Adams, Jeremy Howe and Brayden Maynard will form the leadership group in conjunction with Moore.
Adams will mark his eighth season in the group, it will be Howe's sixth and Maynard's first.
The playing squad and key senior staff nominated and then voted on the candidates, with the club's board then approving the final recommendation.
"It is truly an incredible honour to be given the opportunity to lead this team," Moore said.
"The Collingwood captaincy is significant in its own right but it also holds another layer of significance for my family and I. To follow my father’s journey as captain of the Collingwood football club at almost the same stage in his football journey is very special.
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"There's no shortage of strong and up-and-coming leaders in our group, and I look forward to working closely with the individuals that surround me to ensure we all continue to develop as leaders.
"I am fortunate to be part of a team and wider club that features so many selfless and determined individuals."
Moore said he had discussed the possibility of captaincy with his father – who is currently based in the US – over the past month. He joked he might celebrate with the bottle of shiraz that the club had gifted to his dad (given his absence), with flowers given to his mum.
"I've been a lifelong Collingwood supporter, so in many ways, this is the culmination of that journey from fan to making it on the list to being named captain, it's a pretty surreal feeling," he said. "It's extraordinary.
"We've really connected and spoken about it a lot. He's reflected on his journey and his experiences as captain, and I think that'll be a really nice thing we'll share going forward.
"He was pretty straightforward with his advice, just to relax and enjoy the moment, enjoy today. It's obviously a big and significant announcement for the club. There's only been 48 captains in the history of the club, so to enjoy that moment and soak in that history."
Moore said he's confident he'll be able to strike the balance between the various aspects of leadership required.
"On the field, I'm a trusted teammate, someone who communicates and takes responsibility for other people, and I'm really well supported by the other senior players in the team," he said. "We have a great group who are really capable, who can take control of this team and make decisions on the fly.
"Then off the field, it's about accepting the responsibility of being at Collingwood, in this role and the important work we do in the community and the impact that makes. The significance of that isn't lost on me after nine years."
Moore has played 126 games over eight - occasionally injury-interrupted - seasons and was named All-Australian in 2020.
He finished third in the Magpies' best and fairest last year, and is a board member with the AFLPA.
Pendlebury will continue to mentor the leadership group despite not holding an official role.
"Scott is an absolute titan of our game, and he's a significant part of this club as well. He's captained for over 200 games, and worn the jumper more times than anyone," Moore said.
"His longevity and all of his accolades and achievements on the field speak for themselves. I've seen, over my eight or nine years, his composure, his leadership ability, his communication skills, all those sorts of things the public probably don't get to see. I've seen that and learnt so much from that.
"So to have someone like him still on the list, still around, and offer me his support, is really significant. In that way I feel really supported and like I have a really helpful and powerful ally in Scott."
