By Phil Skeggs

Ivanhoe Amateurs young gun Vivian Blackmore-Moore has made it onto Collingwood’s VFL list as a development player. Ivanhoe’s 2019 best and fairest winner was given the good news by senior coach Ash Close at training last night (Feb.16). Blackmore-Moore, 22, a skilled and elusive midfielder with pace to burn, was invited to train with the Magpies last November.

Close, a development coach at Collingwood, said Blackmore-Moore had earned the chance to play at elite level.

“Viv has really extended himself and got out of his comfort zone. It’s great to see him get some recognition for the hard work and I look forward to seeing what he does with this great opportunity,” said Close.

Blackmore-Moore said Collingwood training was 10 times more intense compared to Ivanhoe so far.

“But being exposed to it is really good. I will be raring to go in Round 1,” he said.

The Magpies have opted to use him in a forward pocket while he works on his strength and conditioning. He said the knowledge being imparted by development coaches Close and Neville Jetta and VFL head coach Craig Black was invaluable. And he has the added bonus of playing alongside Collingwood’s midfield coach Scott Selwood at Ivanhoe this season. “No matter where I play I will be looked after,” he said.

“If a spot comes up (at Collingwood VFL) in a position I haven’t played in before I am more than willing to give it a crack.”

Ivanhoe president Peter Rawley said the club was “super proud” of Blackmore-Moore, who has been  a rising star at Ivanhoe since his junior days.

He played representative football for the Yarra Junior League in Colts. He was co-captain of the under 19s in 2018 when he made his senior debut against Ormond in 2018. He was also one of the youngest-ever winners of the club’s men’s best-and-fairest award in his first full season of seniors in 2019, when he was also named on the wing in the VAFA’s D2 Team of the Year.