Collingwood coach Craig McRae shocked by Nick Daicos sight in post-game review
Collingwood are daring St Kilda to put a hard tag on Nick Daicos, with Magpies coach Craig McRae questioning its worth.
After restricting Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli to just 14 disposals last week, St Kilda's Marcus Windhager is at very short odds to be on the Magpies ball magnet in Saturday night's AFL clash.
But McRae noted that the Bulldogs still smashed St Kilda by 72 points. While Melbourne's Ed Langdon also restricted Daicos in the King's Birthday clash, likewise the Magpies won a tight contest.
In Collingwood's post-game review, McRae was taken aback by the attention Daicos received off the ball early against Melbourne.
'It caught me off guard a bit how much he was getting tackled off the ball early,' McRae said on Thursday.
'But he got some reasonable free kicks in the end to balance that out.
'You tag someone, that comes at a cost to you and so we hope they tag him this week, which I'm sure they will.
'You have to find the best of best worlds.'
The Magpies hosted some umpires at Thursday training and assistant coach Matthew Boyd made sure the attention being paid to Daicos by the opposition was a topic of discussion.
'He just asked the question,' McRae said with a grin.
The Collingwood coach added they are still trying to find the right way to support Daicos, while making sure they maximise their chances of winning.
'Windhager tagged Bontempelli and they lost by 72 points — what value do you put on it?' McRae said.
'Nick in itself is a challenge every week. You want him to be the best he possibly can be and then the opposition want him to be the opposite of that.
'So we have to get the balance right — do what's required to win the game and then obviously Nick's a big part of that.
'But it's pleasing to think we're winning games and Nick's not having an influence — that says a lot about our system. I'm constantly looking at how we can support Nick.'
While Pat Lipinski will return from concussion, Brayden Maynard will have to wait another week as he builds fitness after his foot injury.
'Bruzzy is a couple of training sessions short of being ready to really be at his best,' McRae said.
'Ideally he'll set himself up to be available next week.
'This is a high-performance decision more than a coaches' decision ... a couple more sessions, he'll be right.'
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The Age
19 hours ago
- The Age
‘We'll give it back': Pies promise to defend Daicos as Windhager's tactics questioned
Collingwood veteran Jack Crisp has warned anyone who tags Nick Daicos to expect physical attention from the young superstar's Magpie teammates after Saint Marcus Windhager's tactics were criticised during Saturday night's clash at Marvel Stadium. St Kilda tagger Windhager clamped down on Daicos from the first bounce, when he gave away a free kick for a shove to the chest, but some of his off-the-ball tactics were described as 'outside the code' by dual North Melbourne premiership player David King. Vision aired by Fox Footy showed Daicos reaching for his hamstring and turning around to remonstrate after Windhager made contact with his leg. The Saint then whacked Daicos on the bicep as he followed him into the forward line, and then appeared to deliver a soft slap towards his face, prompting the Magpie to throw his head backwards. 'This is the sort of stuff that's going on. Little knees to the back of the hamstrings. I think that's too far,' King said on Fox Footy. 'Taggers do anything to get under the skin,' King added. 'Just little things that are a step too far. [Knees] are a no-go, I think that's outside the code ... If that's happened 15, 20 times, I'd expect a call from the AFL. We've got to look after our star-factor players. The game owes these players some sort of protection.' Collingwood scored a workmanlike 34-point victory, kicking the last four goals of the game. Daicos, who still had 30 disposals, broke free to kick a brilliant goal during the final term, prompting Daicos to celebrate as if he'd won a grand final and his teammates to erupt around him. Crisp told this masthead the Collingwood players were determined to stick up for Daicos, which showed as Scott Pendlebury chested Windhager as he followed his opponent to the interchange bench.
Sydney Morning Herald
19 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘We'll give it back': Pies promise to defend Daicos as Windhager's tactics questioned
Collingwood veteran Jack Crisp has warned anyone who tags Nick Daicos to expect physical attention from the young superstar's Magpie teammates after Saint Marcus Windhager's tactics were criticised during Saturday night's clash at Marvel Stadium. St Kilda tagger Windhager clamped down on Daicos from the first bounce, when he gave away a free kick for a shove to the chest, but some of his off-the-ball tactics were described as 'outside the code' by dual North Melbourne premiership player David King. Vision aired by Fox Footy showed Daicos reaching for his hamstring and turning around to remonstrate after Windhager made contact with his leg. The Saint then whacked Daicos on the bicep as he followed him into the forward line, and then appeared to deliver a soft slap towards his face, prompting the Magpie to throw his head backwards. 'This is the sort of stuff that's going on. Little knees to the back of the hamstrings. I think that's too far,' King said on Fox Footy. 'Taggers do anything to get under the skin,' King added. 'Just little things that are a step too far. [Knees] are a no-go, I think that's outside the code ... If that's happened 15, 20 times, I'd expect a call from the AFL. We've got to look after our star-factor players. The game owes these players some sort of protection.' Collingwood scored a workmanlike 34-point victory, kicking the last four goals of the game. Daicos, who still had 30 disposals, broke free to kick a brilliant goal during the final term, prompting Daicos to celebrate as if he'd won a grand final and his teammates to erupt around him. Crisp told this masthead the Collingwood players were determined to stick up for Daicos, which showed as Scott Pendlebury chested Windhager as he followed his opponent to the interchange bench.
Herald Sun
20 hours ago
- Herald Sun
AFL Coach asks the big Nick Daicos question as Collingwood Magpies rival violates players' code
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. North Melbourne great David King has sensationally suggested St Kilda's Marcus Windhager violated the players' code during his tagging of Nick Daicos on Saturday night. The Collingwood superstar shook off a determined tag and tore the Saints apart in the Magpies' 16.12 (108) to 11.8 (74) win at Marvel Stadium. Footy pundits across the industry questioned if Windhager's niggling tactics crossed the line, but the situation took another turn after the game with St Kilda coach Ross Lyon asking the million dollar question about how umpires treat the Brownlow medal-fancy. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The success of Melbourne's Ed Langdon last round understandably prompted the Saints to send proven stopper Windhager to Daicos' side right from the first bounce. But Daicos was up to the challenge, kicking into gear physically and aerobically to ensure the Magpies went six points clear on top of the ladder. He was kept under wraps in the first quarter but broke through in style during strong second, third and fourth quarters. Daicos was crucial in Collingwood's third quarter burst – which collected three goals in two minutes – before hitting the scoreboard himself with only an inch of space in the last. You can watch the cheap shots and knee incident in the video player above Nick Daicos was worn like a cheap suit. Photo: Fox Footy. He finished with 30 disposals, five clearances, nine inside 50s, nine score involvements and a goal. Speaking in his post-match press conference, Lyon questioned whether Daicos is umpired differently to others after two early free kicks went the Collingwood star's way. Lyon saw both players 'have their moments' but was confused with some of the decisions judged against Windhager. 'Daicos had a fair bit of ball, a few entries, he moved around (and) I think we handled that,' Lyon said. 'We'll probably go early and look at some of those free kicks, I am not sure they're free kicks but I think we'll take that in and ask the question. 'Are there two sets of rules going around? I am not sure, am I allowed to say that? 'I think he's (Daicos) a great player, we know that, a great young player – at the end they (Collingwood) get the points and go, 'It didn't work'. 'When we were even and come from 20 points down, it's looking good, we say, 'It's working'. I like the theatre of it … I think it's great for the game, isn't it?' Marcus Windhager of the Saints and Nick Daicos of the Magpies. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images. It came after Collingwood coach Craig McRae shined a light on Windhager's looming Daicos assignment this week by questioning the 'value' of tagging. King said on Fox Footy after the game Windhager had gone too far, saying the Saints star's behaviour was 'against the code'. King's comments were made as Fox Footy showed clips of Daicos being pinched, pushed and smothered off the ball. It was the sight of Windhager kneeing Daicos to the back of his legs late in the game that angered King the most. 'I think Craig McRae would be frustrated,' King said. 'In the last few weeks he's put it to the media in an attempt I think to get the umpire department to wise up. This is the sort of stuff that's going on. Little knees to the hamstring. I think that's too far. 'These sorts of things. Taggers will do anything to get under your skin. There's a little whack here. Just little things that are a step too far.' King said he didn't like the treatment Daicos received at stoppages. 'The game owes these sorts of players some form of protection,' he said. Nick Daicos celebrates during against the Saints. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images. Nick Daicos appeals to the umpire. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images) 'The umpires did take a stand early. They paid a free kick to a punch in the stomach 30 seconds into the game. I think perfect. Craig McRae's had a big win here. 'I still think our stars get held and contorted and twisted at stoppages.' The Magpies are now more than a game clear of reigning premier Brisbane with last-placed West Coast next week. Speaking after the game, McRae once again stressed the importance of protecting Daicos. 'I just said to Nick when he came off for the first break that we don't want him to fight the battles, we'll fight them for him,' he said. 'He didn't need to get caught up in the wrestle of that; the free kick against I am probably talking about. 'As a group, as a team, we want to look after him (and) we don't want him sitting there feeling like he's fighting his own battle. 'I feel like tonight as a collective, Nick's had 30 possessions, so you'd say his performance was pretty impactful and then the way we looked after Nick.' — with NewsWire Originally published as Coach asks the big Nick Daicos question as rival violates players' code
