Dylan Moore: ‘Something I’ll Always Regret’ — From Vice-Captaincy to a Night in a Phoenix Jail
dylan moore spoke plainly about a single, split-second decision that led to a night behind bars on an off-season trip to the United States, and to the loss of a leadership role at his club.
How did Dylan Moore’s arrest happen?
Moore says he was in Phoenix doing pre-season training when a night out turned into a mistake: “I was in the US, I was out having a few drinks, and made a foolish mistake, decided to get on a scissor lift and next thing I know the cops are there telling me to get off, and I got off, and next thing I know, I’m in police custody. ” He described the experience as “something that I’ll always regret, ” and said he felt “disappointment, regret, stress, anxiety” as he spent the night in a cell not knowing whether friends and family in Australia knew what had happened.
The two players — Moore and teammate Connor Macdonald — spent a night in jail in Phoenix, Arizona, and face pending court appearances on trespassing charges. An initial charge of drug paraphernalia was dismissed.
What fallout followed at Hawthorn?
The club moved quickly in the aftermath. Moore was removed as Hawthorn vice-captain; James Sicily and Jai Newcombe now serve as the club’s two captains. Moore acknowledged the disappointment he felt toward club leaders and individuals, singling out Sam Mitchell when he said, “I’ve disappointed him (Sam Mitchell), and the fellow leaders. ” He added that having Connor there with him, “as an older player, I should know better. “
Moore described contacting the club immediately while overseas, calling those conversations “really tough” and “scary, ” and saying the club’s response had been “firm but so supportive. ” He also said he has been dealing with the matter outside of the court system.
What consequences and responses are in place?
The club imposed internal sanctions: the pair were fined, will undergo alcohol counselling and will complete community service. The AFL has been kept in the loop but will not be intervening in the club’s handling of the matter. Mitch Cleary, chief AFL reporter, described how secret the incident had been kept, saying, “This was so top-secret that most of Moore’s Hawthorn teammates only learnt of this in the last hour. “
Beyond formal penalties, Moore spoke of ongoing personal consequences: loss of a leadership role, public scrutiny, and the stress of pending legal matters. He framed the episode as a “foolish mistake” that has “led to a night in a jail cell and many regrets, ” and said the event has stayed with him in the months since.
Back in Phoenix, the scissor lift and the police presence remain a clear pivot point in this story: a momentary choice that reshaped a leadership trajectory and set in motion legal and club processes that are still unresolved. For Moore, the consequences are both procedural and personal — an unsettled court calendar and a set of relationships he is now working to repair.
Image suggestion (alt text): dylan moore speaking about the Phoenix arrest
