"It's like being on drugs": Aaron Mooy on the stress of Huddersfield Town's Premier League survival push

Huddersfield Town midfielder Aaron Mooy believes the Terriers' survival push was so intense it was "like being on drugs".

The Australia international was a key cog in Town's last two campaigns, earning promotion from the Championship before driving the team towards Premier League survival with his ball-playing performances in central midfield.

Mooy also delivered the assist which eventually kept the Terriers up last term, picking out Belgian striker Laurent Depoitre from the half way line before the former Porto striker calmly slotted past Willy Caballero to hand Town an unlikely lead against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the penultimate match of the season.

It was a nerve-racking day in the capital, and Mooy admitted the stress experienced throughout the season was intense, with each defeat feeling like the curtain closing on Town's Premier League adventure.

He told the Sydney Morning Herald : "It’s really dramatic. If you lose against a team around you it’s the end of the world.

"The fans think it’s the end of the world, you feel down, feel bad, but if you win it’s the opposite, it’s amazing. You have to try and balance it out a bit. It’s not healthy. Basically [it's like being] on drugs. It’s just so intense but it makes you a stronger person. That’s where you want to be ... one of the best leagues in the world if not the best league, and that’s what it takes."

Since joining Town - originally on loan - from Manchester City, Mooy has become the focal point of the Terriers' midfield, racking up 89 appearances in just two seasons with David Wagner's men.

Between those seasons as well, Mooy travelled to Russia for the Confederations Cup with Australia where he played two matches for the Socceroos, despite his summer holidays coming later in the summer due to Town's successful play-off campaign.

Although a tiring schedule, Mooy believes it was the intensity of the survival push that was more draining last year, rather than the amount of matches on the agenda.

"I don’t know if it’s physical. When you’re mind is fresh you feel good in a game," he said.

"When your mind gets tired everything becomes harder and your body reacts to your mind.

"Maybe I was just in that part of the season where I was just mentally drained. It was all new, all the pressure, the games. I never backed away from that and I wanted to play as much as I could and I only missed two games this season."