“IT FEELS like I’m back in school, just hanging out with my best mates every day.”

Despite very different journeys to IKON Park, Cooper Lord and Ashton Moir will always be inexplicably linked. 

After all, they debuted in the same game, celebrated their first win together, re-signed with the Blues for another two years early on in 2025 and ended the campaign as Rising Star nominees. 

Their hunger for more was evident when they sat down post-season, and so was their excitement.

Naturally, that has come from a young core which has emerged at IKON Park this year. The Blues had seven AFL debutants in 2025, while Lord and Moir themselves both entered with just two games to their name.

“It makes it a lot more comfortable out there. Debuting with ‘Scoop’ and being able to play the last nine games with him… I love being out there,” Moir said.

“Our young group, we’re all really close and I really feel like that brings so much energy toward the whole club.”

While Moir was selected with the final pick in the first round of the 2023 AFL Draft, it wasn’t until six months later when Lord became a Blue via the mid-season draft.

Playing 21 of 23 available games this season, Lord could be excused for the gloss of playing AFL footy starting to wear off.

Not likely.

“It’s amazing. The excitement me and Ash get from just getting out there, and then when you get the feeling of a win, it goes to a whole new level.

“It’s pretty cool being able to come into this club every day, and when you’ve got blokes like Ash by your said, it makes it even better.

“That feeling of going out there hasn’t really wavered at all - and I don’t see it wavering in the future.”

Moir agrees.

“I don’t reckon any of us will lose that, the feeling of pulling on the jumper.

“It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before, you feel so proud to be a Carlton player.”