Player Watch Nick Daicos

[Buckleys Jocks]

I've just watched the replay and it has given me a new level of appreciation of Nick's game.

He was involved in so many of our best forays forward and quite a few of our goals involved some superb moments of skill from Daicos in the build up. His decision making, reading of the play, and ability to execute under pressure is just superb. He's a truly special player.

 

[lenny20]

Three pieces of play that are getting nowhere near enough respect from the media, but literally won the game:

(1) Just before the half-time siren, a stoppage on centre wing in what everyone assumes will be a run-down-the-clock type situation. Nick wins the clearance, buys space, assesses his options on the defensive side of the contest - nothing cooking. He then takes ground with a 1-2 handpass and receive, looks long down the line - still nothing. He then pivots back inside in the midst of heavy traffic, looks inboard, and hits WHE with the perfect pass. Crisp scores a goal after the siren. I don't think we win without that.

(2) Late in Q4, the Lions have taken the lead thanks to Charlie Cameron

23

Charlie Cameron

Age

30

Ht

180cm

Wt

76kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.1

3star

K

8.4

3star

HB

3.7

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.5

5star

D

9.6

2star

K

7.9

3star

HB

1.7

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.7

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

9.6

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

1.4

2star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.2

4star

. At the next centre bounce, Nick beats the Brownlow medallist for the hard ball and feeds out the clearance to Pendles. He then works harder on the spread than any of Neale, Dunkley, Zorko, McCluggage, or the fresh Lyons who has played about 20 minutes. He roves the Mihocek contest with clean hands, then still in mid-air, dishes off a no-look handpass to De Goey to set him free and set up the winner. We definitely don't win without that.

(3) Even later in Q4, the Lions are pushing forward for one last attempt. Nick outworks his Brisbane opponents again to be first to the ball drop, roves the spill off the pack with the cleanest hands you'll ever see, and moves to bomb it long downfield - but, realizing in a split second that the Lions have the long ball completely covered, pulls his kick mid-stride to make a 45-degree chip pass to WHE for the match-winning mark. And without that piece of play, we could have faced the worst fate of all - a late GF loss. AGAIN.

Pendles is the greatest Collingwood player of all time now. But Nick will give him a run for his money by the end of his career.

 

[swoop42]

He's only getting started.

 

[sam_e]

Fair stretch back by Andrews to reach a ball when apparently standing over the goal line himself.

Incidentally I think Steele’s intercept mark in the 3rd, which was ruled not 15m, was quite possibly 15m and certainly would have been paid (particularly as it was off an interception) in every other match this year. Resulted in Maynard ultimately hitting the post from a much tougher angle.

yep - looks mightily close to being over the line from that shot.

Also, the only reason Nick plays on is bc the umpire AGAIN adjudicates the pass from Pendles hasn't gone the required distance ..BULL-SHYZEN!

 

[The Royal Sampler]

I don’t think that pass was 15m, and it came from a teammate. Steele’s interception though gets paid every other day of the week!

 

[Mollythedolly]

Although it was JDG who kicked this goal, the work rate and handball by Nick was insane.

You can see him with Mason Cox in the Center square yet he’s the one to hit the pack 40 meters away! That handball was insane. It reminded me of the handball to Maynard during that Essendon game (last year).

I don't think anyone has mentioned how good JDG was to gather that handball. It was high and slightly behind him but he gathered cleanly, and in a couple of steps balanced and kicked a goal from just on 50m.

 

[Bruz Maynard]

Peter was saying on the ABC after the game the injury should have been more like 12 weeks out. Absolutely huge effort for Nick to get through if that is the case.

The skill and determination of this kid, not only to put in the performance he did on Saturday whilst he wasn't at 100% fit (could you tell, I certainly couldn't) carrying an injury that should've put him out for 3 months; is nothing short of immense.

Hope he recovers in the off-season so he can be ready to unleash come Round 1. Knowing his work ethic he will be back training or kicking the footy before the end of October though

 

[Markfs]

i watched the replay half a dozen times and he definitely swore....I wouldnt be surprised if we're losing him for games early next season.

 

[Seedsfan]

i watched the replay half a dozen times and he definitely swore....I wouldnt be surprised if we're losing him for games early next season.

He’ll be right there is what 25 weeks until the season starts

 

[Markfs]

He’ll be right there is what 25 weeks until the season starts

drink water and eat something and get a few hours sleep

 

[mocamagic]

Had to add another comment so this superstar didn't fall onto page 2 of all the threads

 

[3rdMan]

The more i watch it the more impressive his game was. A victim of his own ridiculously high standards already. That handpass to set up Jordys flag winning goal was something else

He also mentioned that the initial idea was to punch the ball forward, then got a call from De Goey, while in the air, "to your right" and made the decision to handball.

His smarts are of the charts. Have said this often, but it's perfection to have him learning alongside Pendles, seem so similar in temperament and footy IQ.

 

[Chrispiesssss]

 

[Anzacday]

Thankfully didn’t take as long!

 

[Chrispiesssss]

Rewatching the game (again), I reckon Naicos has fastest hands in the league. Insane how quickly he releases the ball.

 

[eyeroller]

Rewatching the game (again), I reckon Naicos has fastest hands in the league. Insane how quickly he releases the ball.

His game gets better on each rewatch

 

[Chrispiesssss]

His game gets better on each rewatch

Literally! I’m up to the 2nd quarter. We are getting smashed in the first ; minutes. Brisbane have had 3 shots at goal (2.1) and have had 14 to 1 disposal.

Howe takes the kick out. Nick ends up with the ball on the boundary of the wing. Aces a kick to JDG. Handball to Titch. Kick to Hill. Goal.

Insane.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Rewatching the game (again), I reckon Naicos has fastest hands in the league. Insane how quickly he releases the ball.

 

[gouki88]

Rewatching the game (again), I reckon Naicos has fastest hands in the league. Insane how quickly he releases the ball.

Absolutely has the fastest hands in the comp. Only matched by his lighting fast brain

 

[anshell]

An absolute freak.All I can say is thank God his knee recovered in time for the Preliminary Final.We couldn’t have won the premiership without him.

 

[Kirby]

Absolutely has the fastest hands in the comp. Only matched by his lighting fast brain

Faster hands than Pee-wee Herman!

 

[Chrispiesssss]

I’m losing my mind. This guy is a god.

Titch handballs poorly to Nick on the wing. He makes something of it with a kick off the ground which leads to Mihocek taking a mark. Ends up as a goal.

 

[Magpie Since 1986]

Anyone noticed the opposition supporters are almost more obsessed with Nick than we are?

He is now the tallest poppy in the AFL and you can tell just by the absolute desperation of oppo fans trying to bring him down anyway they can, seagull this, duck that, soft, blah, blah blah, you read between the lines and you know they are terrified.... Terrified he has already delivered us 1 flag as the best player in the competition in his 2nd year. How many more flags will he inflict on them over the next 10-15 years? Glorious.

 

[DoubleO7]

Fair stretch back by Andrews to reach a ball when apparently standing over the goal line himself.

Incidentally I think Steele’s intercept mark in the 3rd, which was ruled not 15m, was quite possibly 15m and certainly would have been paid (particularly as it was off an interception) in every other match this year. Resulted in Maynard ultimately hitting the post from a much tougher angle.

Have they shown any other angles of this behind?

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Anyone noticed the opposition supporters are almost more obsessed with Nick than we are?

He is now the tallest poppy in the AFL and you can tell just by the absolute desperation of oppo fans trying to bring him down anyway they can, seagull this, duck that, soft, blah, blah blah, you read between the lines and you know they are terrified.... Terrified he has already delivered us 1 flag as the best player in the competition in his 2nd year. How many more flags will he inflict on them over the next 10-15 years? Glorious.

They can thank Hawthorn for making unnecessary contact with Nick and breaking his leg for the umpires looking after him. The league doesn’t want their stars getting contact injuries, because of plebs sniping them.