
Boos rain down as Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos given controversial free kick against Adelaide
Daicos and veteran Crow Brodie Smith were involved in a push and shove right under the umpire's nose at a stoppage.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Nick Daicos given free kick after tangle with Brodie Smith.
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The Brownlow Medal favourite hit Smith with an aggressive shove to the chest before Smith retaliated with a near identical blow.
But then Smith gave Daicos another shot to the chest region that caused the gun Magpie squat down.
The umpire immediately paid a free kick as the pro-Adelaide crowd made their feelings felt with a chorus of boos.
The resulting free kick gave the Pies another inside 50 to continue their dominant start.
While it didn't amount to a goal, social media lit up when a clip of the free kick was posted.
'My thoughts are that Daicos is umpired completely differently to other players,' one fan said.
'He's a champion, but gee I hate seeing him flop like this. Just looks horrible,' another said.
'The only player in the comp that gets this free kick,' another said.
'Soft, weak protected species, embarrassing. The commentators said nothing which speaks volumes,' another added.
'The fact the umpire falls for that and pays it is a joke,' another said.
While the majority of the fans turned on Daicos, who is often targeted by opposition fans, there were some who said there was no need for Smith to do it.
They had already given each other one each before Smith's extra blow forced the umpire into action.
'Umpires have to penalise the first action. They'll stop this within two weeks if they start giving away frees,' one fan said.
'Maybe don't punch a guy in the chest?' another said.
It remains to be seen whether Smith will come under match review scrutiny for the incident.
St Kilda tagger Marcus Windhager was fined for a similar blow to Daicos' chest earlier this season.

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The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
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A late strike from Izak Rankine gave Adelaide a five-point edge at halftime, 6.3 to 5.4. The third quarter, amid rain, was tight - neither team managed a goal until Adelaide's Isaac Cumming scored in the 27th minute. But Pie forward Jamie Elliott replied, threading a set shot from an acute angle, to reduce Adelaide's advantage to two points at three-quarter time, 7.6 to 6.8. Another scoring stalemate ensued in a tense finale: a goalless 17-minute stretch was broken when Crow James Peatling snapped accurately. But Magpie Jack Crisp responded six minutes later to reduce the margin to three points, only for key Crow Riley Thilthorpe to then take a superb contested mark and convert. Again the Pies responded, with a long bomb from Nick Daicos leaving the visitors three points down with almost four minutes remaining, but Adelaide grimly held on for victory. "We didn't quite get the four points but we leave here not with our tail between our legs," Collingwood coach Craig McRae said. "It was a hard game, a finals-type game ... it was a real tactical battle." Ex-Crow skipper Walker and Darcy Fogarty kicked two goals each, while defenders Josh Worrell (27 disposals), Mark Keane (23) - who rebounded the ball from Adelaide's defensive 50m arc some 13 times - and captain Jordan Dawson (23) were influential. Collingwood's Nick Daicos was superb with a game-high 29 possessions and a goal. Veteran Scott Pendlebury (24 touches) was prominent, especially early, Darcy Cameron (23 disposals) ruled the rucks, and forwards Elliott and Tim Membrey booted two majors apiece.

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Best Case Scenario: 4th Win both games AND have Giants lose to Saints AND have Suns lose to either Power or Bombers Worst Case Scenario: 9th Lose to Dockers Expected Finish: 7th Win both games and have the expected winners from other matches would lead to a 6th-place finish. The Bulldogs won't miss finals if they win their final two games, and would need results to go their way if they were to drop one of the two clashes. Round 24 v Fremantle could be an elimination final. Originally published as AFL live ladder: Who will finish in the top eight, miss the finals


Perth Now
8 hours ago
- Perth Now
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