It’s Nick Daicos’ world, and we’re just living in it.
The Collingwood star set numerous club and AFL records during their 18-point loss to the Western Bulldogs on Friday night.
Daicos, along with Jack Crisp, was among Collingwood’s standout performers, nearly leading the injury-plagued Magpies to victory.
Meanwhile, a vintage performance from Marcus Bontempelli (38 disposals, two goals) propelled the Bulldogs in the final quarter, as they scored five goals to none to secure a crucial 15.10 (100) to 12.10 (82) win.
Daicos was in exceptional form, particularly during the first three quarters, finishing with 32 disposals and two goals. He excelled in tight contests, recording 16 clearances and 27 contested possessions, breaking club records in both categories. He surpassed Nathan Buckley’s previous record of 15 clearances set in 1998.
Daicos’ 27 contested possessions also surpassed Steele Sidebottom’s record of 26 set in 2018.
The record-breaking didn’t stop there. Daicos became the fastest player in V/AFL history to achieve 30 disposals against all 17 other clubs, reaching this milestone in just 59 games.
SportsbyFry commented on X: “Video game numbers from Nick Daicos last night.”
Stats expert Swamp tweeted: “There have been 12 prior instances since 1999 of players with 22+ contested possessions, 13+ clearances & 2+ goals in an @AFL game. Nick Daicos has that to 3QT.”
Daicos also found himself in some controversial moments during the game. He avoided a holding the ball free kick despite the umpires’ crackdown on the rule and received an elbow from Taylor Duryea, which will likely result in a fine for the Bulldogs defender.
Despite his record-breaking performance, Daicos was effectively shut down by Bontempelli in the last quarter. The Bulldogs captain amassed 14 disposals, four tackles, five clearances, and a goal in the final term, leading his team to victory.
Bulldogs forward Sam Darcy scored the match-sealing goal from the pocket, though his father, Luke Darcy, didn’t appear overly impressed. Darcy may face scrutiny for a collision with Brayden Maynard.
Daicos, who had a slow start to the season, has since found his form and is a strong contender for the Brownlow Medal if he maintains his current performance level. The Magpies will need him at his best as they currently sit eighth on the ladder with a record of six wins, four losses, and two draws. They risk falling out of the top eight if Fremantle or Gold Coast win their games this weekend.
The Magpies entered the game with a severely depleted midfield, missing Scott Pendlebury (arm), Jordan De Goey (abdomen), and Tom Mitchell (foot), along with a depleted forward line without Brody Mihocek (hamstring), Jamie Elliott (vascular), Mason Cox (concussion/knee), Will Hoskin-Elliott (hamstring), Joe Richards (foot), Reef McInnes (concussion), and Dan McStay (knee).
