‘We’re so proud’: Daicos brothers vow Nick won’t be distracted by Brownlow hype
ByPeter Ryan
September 24, 2023 — 3.00pmCollingwood’s Josh Daicos hopes the late-season injury his brother Nick suffered in round 21 will not cost the 20-year-old the Brownlow Medal that is decided on Monday night.
After being the favourite throughout the season to win the medal, Nick Daicos missed the final three home and away matches with a hairline fracture to his right knee, opening up the possibility of the Western Bulldogs’ Marcus Bontempelli, Melbourne’s Christian Petracca and Port Adelaide’s Zak Butters vying with him for favouritism.
Collingwood’s Josh and Nick Daicos flank their dad, club great, Peter ahead of a big week, with the Brownlow Medal on Monday night and grand final against Brisbane on Saturday.CREDIT:LUIS ENRIQUE ASCUI
“We’re so proud of the season he has had,” Josh Daicos said. “Hopefully, Nick has done enough before he got injured.”
Nick, who returned to help the Magpies defeat the Giants by one point in the preliminary final, admitted the nerves would probably kick in on Monday as he prepared to attend the Brownlow Medal count.
He said his only focus until now had been recovering from the injury in time to play in the preliminary final.
“I have been so focused on getting back and on my knee, and that sort of consumed me so much during the finals. Now I am back and through to the grand final, all my eyes and focus is set on how I can best prepare for Saturday,” Daicos said.
Collingwood’s record in grand finals in the same year as one of its players has won the Brownlow Medal is not great. Dane Swan in 2011, Nathan Buckley in 2003 and Peter Moore in 1979 all played in losing grand finals for the Magpies after winning the game’s highest individual award. (FFS - stupid correlation)
Moore said he did not think whether a player involved in the game won the game’s most prestigious individual honour or not was relevant to the result. (You are intelligent Peter.) “We didn’t have a team good enough to win the ultimate. This team is good enough,” Moore said.
Richmond’s Dustin Martin was the most recent player in 2017 to win both the Brownlow Medal and premiership in the same season.
Nick Daicos, left, with his proud brother Josh.CREDIT:GETTY
Nick Daicos said his main goal was to become a premiership player rather than a Brownlow medallist.
“There might be a little bit of nerves in there tomorrow going and actually being there with all the players and experiencing it all, but I am sure as soon as it’s done I’ll be ready to prepare for Saturday either way,” he said.
