Collingwood coach Craig McRae has come to the defence of Nick Daicos, saying the club doesn’t want him to ‘perfect’ amid scrutiny towards the breakout superstar.
Daicos has played a starring role for the 4-1 Magpies this season, averaging a league-best 36 disposals as the early Brownlow Medal favourite while leading the AFL coaches votes.
However the 20-year old has still been subject to criticism from some opposition fans, with SEN’s Andy Maher pointing out: “There are people saying ‘he doesn’t get contested footy, he stat pads with kick-ins after points and all the rest of the numbers are a bit misleading’.”
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Responding to such talk, McRae said focusing on the negatives go against his beliefs.
“I don’t love it as a society, really,” the Magpies coach said on SEN’s The Run Home.
“Why would we look for the wrong or the things that he can’t do? I love looking at things he can do and rewarding the behaviour, not just Nick, but everyone.
“He’s an exceptional talent and his decision-making is like no one else in our team. He sees things that others don’t see.
“I’m sure if 17 other clubs had Nick Daicos on their list, they’d be looking for ways to get him involved in the game.
“Playing in positions where you want to give him the ball (so he can) make great decisions. He’s not going be perfect, we don’t even want him to be that, that word.
“What he’s doing right now is fulfilling talent and making us better.”
It comes after Daicos erupted onto the AFL scene last year in his debut season, taking out Rising Star Award honours and some even claiming he was worthy of making the All-Australian squad.
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And McRae said all the signs were there over the summer that Daicos would take his game to another level in 2023, noting that the son of a gun’s preparation and training standards is what separates him from others.
“You absolutely marvel,” McRae said of the 30-gamer.
“You could see in the pre-season and what was coming … but what he’s doing every week is just something different — 42 possessions on the weekend and his ability to impact games.
“He’s an incredible player, let’s face it.
“The thing that separates Nick from others is the way he prepares — he prepares as good as anyone that you’ve seen. If you’re a young lad out there and you want to know how to make it, get to training and watch Nick train.
“He comes back on day one of pre-season and wins the time trial. It’s not a bad statement to make, that’s work he’s done.
“The way he prepares, the way he’s in there with the coaches yesterday looking at all the things he can do better and the things he’s done that he wants to acknowledge.
“Preparation is such a key.”
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McRae also opened up on the Magpies’ philosophy this year of the elevator v stairs — as initially revealed by Melbourne Rebels coach Kevin Foote after having access to Collingwood’s training program — with an emphasis on not taking the easy option.
“I went overseas and saw there’s lots of people using the elevators, and not many using the stairs,” McRae said.
“I got consumed by it, everywhere I went I took photos of the lack of stairs being used and the following the others mentality.
“I couldn’t help but think we all want to take the easy option in life and get on the elevator … I came back and presented this to the players about our analogy to get up the ladder.
“The only way in our game to do that is through taking the steps and then I showed them the pictures of the steps v the elevator.
“For us, we’re going to take the steps, everything we do now — you’ll see us at the airport and at work taking the steps — that’s become our catch cry for the year, taking the steps to rise up the ladder to qualify to make the finals.
“I’m giving away way too much, but over the season there’ll be more that comes out of this. We did a couple of really cool experiences that, maybe at the right time, I’ll share.
“But we do have a ladder to represent taking the steps.”
The Magpies will look to continue their hot start to the season in a blockbuster top four clash against Essendon on Anzac Day.
