Most clubs have tried but have largely been unsuccessful in 2023 in quelling the influence of Collingwood’s second year sensation Nick Daicos.
The 20-year old’s rise to superstardom has seen him collect copious amounts of possessions with little to no direct attention from opposition teams or coaches. It’s a form line and trajectory that has seen Daicos surge into favouritism for the Brownlow Medal.
Leading up to the game, Swans coach John Longmire flagged that Daicos was one of the “many (players) we’ll be looking at” to quell his influence on the game.
Back in last year‘s Preliminary Final, Ryan Clarke was manned with the job of tagging Nick Daicos and restricted him to just the 23 possessions on the day the Swans advanced to the Grand Final over the Pies by a point.
Clarke got the job on Daicos once again when the sides met at the MCG yesterday and was again able to minimize his influence on the contest. Restricting the second-year sensation to just 21 disposals, his lowest tally of the season and lowest tally since Round 20 last year.
Tempers flared after Clarke kicked Sydney’s opening goal of the game and immediately flocked to Daicos, starting a heated scuffle between dozens of players. Several more fiery incidents took place during the opening term as Collingwood players met the hostility with more of the same. Flying the flag for their young teammate.
Speaking to foxfooty.com.au post-game, Swans superstar Erroll Gulden said it was “100%” a directive from the Swans coaching staff to go after the 20-year-old and try to put him off his game.
“He’s one of the best players in the competition.” Gulden said.
“If we let him do his own thing, he’ll win them the game, he’s that good.
“It was definitely a focus for us going into the game that it was a full team effort to stop him, and I felt that was something we were somewhat able to reduce his impact on the game.
“He’s an amazing player and it takes a full team to stop him.”
Longmire addressed the media post – game and was happy with how his side was endeavouring to make life difficult for Daicos at the MCG, but lamented that in doing so, the Swans gave away some free kicks.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae said he was thrilled with Daicos‘ response to another hard tag and extra attention and was pleased at his side’s ability to fly the flag for their teammate without giving away any free kicks.
“Someone comes at us, we want to come back at them, but within the rules,” McRae said.
“Last week was the same … There‘s flying the flag if you like using that language, but there’s not a stepping over the rules of the game.
“We don‘t want to be undisciplined, but we stand up for each other.”
McRae said the attention that Daicos received and will no doubt continue to receive was “his lot”, but praised his efforts to shake the tag in the final quarter and have an influence on the game.
Daicos attended the third-most centre bounces of any Collingwood midfielder as the Pies tried to set him free from Clarke’s grip, gathering 10 possessions in the final quarter as the Magpies kicked clear.
McRae said he had comprehensive plans to help the 20-year-old work over a team trying to stop him.
“It’s a natural part of any good player in the competition … you go back in time, every good player’s had to go through this, and some have to do it for longer,” he said.
“He went in the midfield and did his thing – he’s a hard player to stop.
“The last two or three games our pressure in the last quarter just goes to another level, and teams right now are struggling with that.”
McRae said he had comprehensive plans to help the 20-year-old work over a team trying to stop him.
“I said last week, I like playing chess with my Dad and he liked playing against me until I started beating him, but he taught me about the importance of thinking ahead, two moves ahead,” McRae said.
“That’s what we like to do not only with Nick, but in the game, we want to be strategic with what it looks like, if he’s not impacting or whatever is happening … we want to be two steps ahead
