Geelong’s full forward during their all-conquering team of 2007, the ‘Big Hairy Cat’ is famous for being a skillful and hard-nosed player who always played right on the edge, often resulting in numerous minor suspensions. Now a sideline commentator for Fox Footy, Mooney offers valuable opinions drawing on his experience in one of the competition’s most prolific forward lines in recent times.
A player who wore his heart on his sleeve, Mooney actually started his career with the premiership-winning Kangaroos side in 1999, before being traded to Geelong for the beginning of the 2000 season. However, the Big Hairy Cat didn’t find his feet until the mid-2000s, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous full-forwards in the AFL. In the famous semi-final of 2005 when Nick Davis kicked four goals for the Swans in the final quarter to defeat the Cats by 3 points, Mooney was seen openly crying after the siren following a poor game, shredding his tough-guy persona.
However, Mooney’s career would blossom after this lowlight. He was the leading goal kicker for the Cats in both 2007 and 2009, spearheading the Cats attack in the two years when they went on to win the flag. The 2007 Grand Final in particular was a high point, with Mooney booting 5 goals in the Cats’ record-breaking 119-point thumping of the Power.
Much of Mooney’s playing career was blighted by suspensions. Picking up 11 in his career (none for more than 3 weeks), Mooney broke a record in 2006, becoming the first player to be suspended at the tribunal for four separate incidents.
But rather than damage Mooney’s reputation, it has only seemed to endear him with fans, earning an image as one of the most loved ‘bad boys’ of the game. Now retired for over half a decade, Mooney is a regular panelist on AFL 360 on Fox Footy, as well as a sideline commentator for Foxtel and occasional commentator on SEN 1116 radio.
