An AFL star delivered a truly spine-tingling speech following his side's victory on Anzac Day.
Collingwood captain Darcy Moore has been applauded for his classy post-match address, where he paid homage to current and former servicemen and women.
His emotional words were so powerful that they left some people in the crowd fighting back the tears.
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Collingwood had just secured an emphatic come-from-behind victory over Essendon, courtesy of a seven-goal blitz in the final quarter of the match.
In front of a record Anzac Day crowd of 95,179 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, it was a day to remember those who had paid the ultimate sacrifice.
And during the post-game trophy ceremony, Moore was on hand to remind everyone of just how important the occasion was, while also paying his respects to the fallen heroes of Australia and New Zealand.
“First of all, I want to give a massive thank you to the 95,000 fans who are here – record-breaking crowd,” Moore passionately said.
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“No matter whether you wear the black and white stripes or the red sash, this game is about so much more than four points. So you turning up today and showing your support means a lot and we’re incredibly proud to play our part in this game.
“To Essendon – both Andrew (McGrath) and the team, as well as the broader club – thank you so much for making this event what it is. It means a lot to us that we can come together with your football club and commemorate the sacrifice of not just the Anzacs, but all servicemen and women who served Australia all around the world. So thank you to the Essendon Football Club.
“I want to thank and mention all men and women who are serving our country’s interests, both at home and abroad, in war and in peacekeeping operations. It means a lot to me and the team and the whole club that we can commemorate your service and your sacrifice today by doing what we do. So thank you for your service.
“To the veterans – there are over 600,000 veterans in this country who have returned from service – we also extend our thanks to you for your sacrifice and we hope that again, doing what we do today, somehow honours your legacy and what you’ve done for our country. Thank you to those 600,000 veterans as well.
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“And then finally, to the families of those serving and those veterans: Too often, your stories go untold and on behalf of the Collingwood footy club, we just want to acknowledge the pain of war that runs through so many families across this country. It’s a real honour for us to run out here and play our game in honour of you and your service. So to the families of those who have served, thank you so much for your service.”
When cameras panned out to members of the crowd, including a number of servicemen and women, you can could see they were overcome with emotion.
One man, in particular, appeared to have a tear in his eye as Moore's incredible words sunk in.
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“In addition to being one of the best defenders in the game, he is a very thoughtful and eloquent young man. That speech was, frankly, incredible the way he spoke and thought about so many people. It was something we’ll remember for a long time,” Fox Footy host Sarah Jones said.
Meanwhile, her co-host Jason Dunstall said: “It is one of the best speeches I’ve ever heard on this day”.
Dunstall added: “He made it all about the occasion and the sacrifice that has been made for us, well before us. I thought that was brilliant.
“The words that he chose summed it up perfectly.”
Featured Image Credit: Twitter/Ch7Topics: Australia Afl, Aussie Rules Football, Australia
