Double honours for Collingwood young gun
Collingwood star Nick Daicos has started awards season with a double, winning the AFL Players Association's Leigh Matthews Trophy as player of the season and the AFL Coaches Association's champion player of the year at an event at Melbourne's Centrepiece on Tuesday night. The 21-year-old joins a select group of players who have claimed both awards in the same season, with the feat having been achieved only five times before.
Gary Ablett Jr (2007-09), Dane Swan (2010), Patrick Dangerfield (2016), Dustin Martin (2017) and Lachie Neale (2020) all achieved the double, according to reports from The Canberra Times and PerthNow. Daicos is the first player to do so since Neale in 2020.
Brownlow favourite status
The awards have placed Daicos firmly in the spotlight for the Brownlow Medal, with the young midfielder priced at an unbackable $1.01 in some markets. History is on his side: of the five previous players to win both awards in the same season, all but one — Gary Ablett Jr in 2007 and 2008 — went on to claim the Brownlow in the same year. The exceptions were Ablett in 2009, Dangerfield in 2016, Martin in 2017 and Neale in 2020, all of whom added the game's most prestigious individual honour to their collection.
Daicos is widely tipped to follow suit, and the grounding is already there: he was named in the All-Australian team for the fourth time in his five seasons, following brothers Josh and Peter Daicos to Collingwood as a father-son draft pick.
A career-best season
Daicos's 2025 numbers underline his dominance. He averaged a career-best 34.9 disposals per game and kicked 24 goals in 22 matches, marking the first time he has averaged more than a goal a match. Not only has his offensive output been outstanding, the impact of his scoring and leadership has been a turning point in his game.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae has lauded the 21-year-old's growth, calling him a 'blackmailer' on Kayo Sports. That's not just a label; it's an acknowledgment of his on-field magic. "I've heard him called a magician before and he actually is," McRae said. He said Daicos has had a remark, adding that it was hard to believe he could improve on last year's output. "He just keeps improving. He keeps going to new levels and you see some of the footage, his running capability — it's obscene," the coach said.
McRae also highlighted a key change in Daicos's game this season: his willingness to hit the scoreboard. He also praised the young star's leadership, particularly at a time when the squad has been dealing with injuries to captain Darcy Moore and Brayden Maynard. The coach revealed that he used vision of a mic'd up Daicos as a learning tool for the playing group, quoting the on-field communication from the young star: "Come on, this is not good enough, we need to get busy now." A moment the coach has documented for the group.
Leadership and the wildcard clash
Daicos is taking on more responsibility this week, but he will also serve as stand-in captain in the wildcard final against the Western Bulldogs on Friday night at the MCG. He'll be the on-field general without skipper Moore, adding a layer of what's already a crucial match.
After receiving the award, the star spoke about his league in the leadership opportunity, a topic he has been focusing on. "I've relished the opportunity," Daicos said on stage, as reported by The Canberra Times. He expressed that he has felt well supported by the playing group and coaching staff, making the transition to a leadership role easier.
Saturday's final against the Bulldogs takes on extra weight despite Daicos's personal accolades. The Magpies are relying on his form and leadership to progress deeply into the finals, with McRae emphasising that his leadership is a part of his immense value. In a season where he's already taken two of the game's most coveted individual awards, the Collingwood faithful will be hoping the Brownlow Medal is just the next honour to follow.
Perspectives
Collingwood coach Craig McRae praised Nick Daicos's quality and character, saying he's a "magician" and lauded his leadership, citing his step-up when captain Darcy Moore and Brayden Maynard were injured and used a mic"ed vision of the midfielder as a learning tool.
Nick Daicos acknowledged the leadership role he's taken on, saying he relished the opportunity and felt well supported, and he will serve as stand-in captain for the wildcard final, adding another layer to his responsibilities.
Bookmakers and pundits have installed Daicos as an unbackable favourite at $1.01 for the Brownlow Medal, noting that the last three players who did the double all claimed the Brownlow in the same year.