Four points down, 23 seconds to go – the Magpies have to win the ball from the centre bounce to have any chance to win.
Nick Daicos is the most dangerous centre-bounce player, especially in clutch moments. If you need reminding, see the 2023 grand final – a mid-air overhead handball to Jordan De Goey, to goal.
The sense against Geelong last weekend was if Collingwood were to win, Daicos would be critical.
Then, as the umpire walked in to bounce the ball, Daicos started to run away. He got as far as he could from the drop of the ball. His opponent Oisin Mullin looked as perplexed as the other 82,000 in the MCG. What was he doing?
In that moment, Mullin had a choice: abandon his role, ignore Daicos and stay where he was and allow Geelong to out-number Collingwood at the bounce with four players to three; or follow his orders and follow Daicos where he went. He followed Daicos.
All Geelong needed was to not let Collingwood clear the ball and soak up those last 20 seconds. The ball went up, Cats ruck Mark Blicavs was able to get possession and cradle the ball under one arm, and wait in hope to be tackled and the umpire to ball it up again. But only one player tackled him and Blicavs, who had an arm free to dispose of the Sherrin, was penalised for holding the ball. As we now know, the ball went – crisply – forward to Jack Crisp, who marked and missed his after-the-siren shot at goal.
The Daicos tactic to remove himself from the play worked. But they didn’t win the game.
Removing a player from the stoppage and creating more space threw a question at Geelong that demanded an immediate answer on the field: do I stay with Daicos and risk him getting the ball in the clear? Or do I hold my position and, with four midfielders versus three at the stoppage, assume the superior numbers will win out?
Collingwood’s coaches had planned this stoppage set-up tactic in training for use when the right circumstance presented in a game, but it was down to the leaders on the field to decide to do it. Whether it was Scott Pendlebury – a coach on the field – or Daicos who decided the dynamic playmaker should peel away, it was a bold play.
It’s easier to be bold when you are faced with defeat – better to risk losing by 10 points instead of four and give yourself a chance to win.
It was a rare tactic – Collingwood had not done it before and did not do it again against Fremantle on Thursday night – but is not unprecedented. John Worsfold, when coaching West Coast, would occasionally do a similar thing to create space for the powerful Nic Naitanui. Because “Nic Nat” was such a strong and athletic ruck, if he could get a run at the ball, he could carry his momentum right through the front of the stoppage and to centre-half forward almost unencumbered.
Two respected midfield coaches at other clubs, who declined to be named in order to speak freely about another side, both said they loved the tactic, but as coaches they would encourage their players to call Daicos’ bluff and let him have his free space.
“Most times the four [players] will beat three at the bounce. For the ruck to get it clear all the way to Daicos, it takes a big tap,” one coach said.
“It worked well for Collingwood on the night because it created a bit of uncertainty and threw a question at Geelong – what are you going to do? They also didn’t want the second stoppage, so one fewer at the bounce was going to help them stop Geelong smother the ball.
Oisin Mullin and Tom Atkins both try and bring Nick Daicos to ground.Credit: Getty Images
“I really like it as a tactic and don’t know why it isn’t used more. They used to do it at West Coast.”
Another coach said it worked well with a dominant ruck, but was only effective if the player pulling out of the contest was good enough, or dangerous enough, to create doubts about leaving them alone. A tagger was more likely to follow than another midfielder who was simply opposed to the player at the stoppage.
“Patty Dangerfield is not going to follow Daicos back there. Lachie Neale is not going to follow. So it throws a question to the tagger,” the coach said.
“I’d let him go and stand 10 metres in front of him. How is he going to get it? You can’t tap that far to get to him, so I get it. Also, I am there to close the space in the contest and if we get possession I am free 10 metres in the clear of him.”
Another coach said: “One of the commentators said he didn’t know why Melbourne pushed their high forwards up to stoppages [around the ground, not rushing into centre bounces] when they had such a dominant ruck as Max Gawn and clearance players like Petracca and Oliver. It’s a good point. They need space – you are probably better trying to pull your forwards back and not crowd the stoppage.”
Daicos causes opposition coaches some serious headaches.Credit: AFL Photos
The coaches said Collingwood also employed a decoy tactic at stoppages.
“If you think of a clock face, Nick Daicos starts at 9 o’clock and runs hard behind the ruck to 3 o’clock to draw the play. The opposition think the plan is to tap to him, but the ruck taps to 9 o’clock where he started and Pendlebury, who started at 6 o’clock, has moved across to 9 o’clock and gathers it,” the midfield coach said.
“It works. I really liked the tactic against Geelong, but I’d call Daicos’ bluff. I’m surprised, though, that more clubs don’t get more creative with that sort of thing.”
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