AFL

Moore bullish as Bombers lose backman to injury again

Apr 20, 2026

Collingwood and Essendon players. — Collingwood and Essendon players paid their respects at the Shine of Remembrance on Monday. -AAP Image

Collingwood are set for two major AFL Anzac Day boosts, with captain Darcy Moore bullish about his availability and Essendon losing Jordan Ridley to another injury.

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Magpies utility Jordan De Goey also trained on the weekend as he tries to return from concussion.

Moore and Ridley have missed most of the start of the season. Ridley underlined his importance to Essendon when he returned for their drought-breaking win over Melbourne.

But he suffered a calf injury in their narrow loss to Gold Coast on the weekend, and given his history - the backman only managed 10 games last season - the Bombers are taking no chances.

"Obviously Jordan is a really important member of our team - culturally, and on the fielld," captain Andrew McGrath said

"We'll see how the injury unfolds.

"I feel for 'Rids' at the moment, it's been a tough run for him."

But Moore is optimistic he will return from his hamstring injury this Saturday against the Bombers.

Moore's first game of the season in round four did not survive the first quarter before he was forced out with injury.

"I'm feeling pretty good - in great news, I had a really good session last Friday, so I made a couple of really big breakthroughs," Moore said.

"The body feels awesome coming into this week ... watch this space.

"It's been a challenge, obviously. Clearly, getting injured 20 minutes into my first game of the season was not ideal.

"Sometimes that just happens."

The two captains were speaking after a wreath-laying ceremony at the Shrine Of Remembrance on Monday ahead of the Anzac Day game.

"It feels really nice to be here on Monday when we play in six days," Moore said.

"It gives us the whole week to prepare for what is such an enormous occasion ... we're so blessed to be a part of it.

"To be able to have the whole week to really soak it in and have really rich experiences, like today ... it adds to the layers of meaning for the game.''

The Bombers' form has lifted - they nearly pulled off an away upset win over the Suns - but McGrath said morale has been strong throughout their start to the season.

"Our form has turned a little bit, but the mood hasn't wavered from the very beginning," he said.

"There was obviously a lot of noise around our football club in the first couple of weeks and rightly so - we weren't performing up to our own expectations.

"But we felt like we were building, regardless of the result ... (now it's) much more how we want to play."