The Wagga Wagga boy started his AFL career at the North Melbourne Kangaroos (1999) before being traded to Geelong (2000). With years of hard work the turning point came in 2004 when he helped steer Geelong towards the finals. This outstanding year was then followed by injury in 2005 and suspensions in 2006, with the dark record of the most suspensions in a single season. A champion, however, is not measured by his falls but his comebacks. And the comeback was sweet, with victory as part of Geelong's AFL premiership-winning team in 2007. To top this off, Mooney was the leading goalkicker for Geelong in 2007. In so doing, he cemented himself as a Geelong champion and a key figure in building the club's dominance up until the 2011 season.
Mooney is a dual-premiership player and veteran of 221 games. This rates him as one of the best in the game. With Mooney gone from Geelong, one wonders how they will cope in 2012 with the void left by one of their key lights. However, their short-term aim is the finals and winning the flag. The push is now on for Geelong to finish as premiers and send Mooney out on top.