Daicos delivers match-winning goal as Pies upstage Blues in epic

Craig McRae could not even wait until he got home to watch Nick Daicos’ match-winner again.

Collingwood’s premiership coach whipped out his phone in the change rooms and relived Daicos’ brilliance as the Magpies celebrated a six-point triumph over Carlton that could pump life into a flag defence that started with three straight losses.

Nick Daicos of the Collingwood Magpies celebrates a goal during the round 8 match against the Carlton Blues.Credit: Getty Images

A forward-50 stoppage that began with a mess of players desperately trying to wrangle the Sherrin transformed into a show-stopping moment as a timely Harvey Harrison tap into Daicos’ path set the MCG alight.

The 21-year-old superstar read the play better than everyone, and there was no catching him once he hit top speed – but it was his spectacular snap finish, with barely a minute on the clock, that left McRae and co. in awe.

Daicos was already the best player afield but made certain of it, ensuring for the first time this year that Collingwood had more wins than losses, barely a week after settling for a draw with Essendon on Anzac Day.

“What a player,” McRae said. “That late in the game, to be running with that intensity [is incredible]. If you watch it, and you’re tracking how hard he’s working, and then the finish – wow, what an exceptional talent.”

Patrick Lipinski was the closest Magpie to Daicos before and after his match-winning second goal, trailing two metres behind, but feared initially that his teammate had missed his shot at glory.

“It was the best finish, one of the great finishes,” Lipinski, who gathered 24 disposals and four clearances, told The Age.

“Him and Bobby [Hill] have both kicked some great goals in that pocket. I thought it missed, but he was going to the crowd, so I was very happy – he’s a star.

“I think his first goal even was unbelievable: he baulked through a stoppage and snapped it. He just does things that other players can’t do, and he really breaks open the game, most games … I’m very lucky to play with him and can’t wait to keep doing it.”

Nick Daicos kicked the winning goal in the Magpies’ win against the Blues.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

Carlton were gaining ground on the Pies as the AFL’s close-game kings until Friday night’s result, but coach Michael Voss’ immediate reaction was to pay credit to Daicos.

Asked whether he could pinpoint what Collingwood did better than his side in the dying minutes, a deadpan Voss said: “Daicos was all right … they got that one little breakthrough, and he was good enough to finish, from a very tight angle, mind you, so a bit of class stood up at the right time.”

Daicos ended with 32 disposals, 15 contested possessions, seven clearances, seven tackles and seven inside 50s, on top of his two goals, as he returned to the midfield in spectacular fashion in Jordan De Goey’s absence.

McRae was most impressed with Daicos’ defensive performance, which was evident from the first quarter, including one passage of play where he charged down separate Blues on the wing within a matter of seconds to force a boundary throw-in.

“When he plays like that, he’s one of the best players in the competition. Everyone can see that,” McRae said.

“He was hard to stop tonight and … I was really happy with the defensive side of his game. His pressure was as good as I’ve seen since he’s been playing with us. Funnily enough, the other parts of his game really expressed themselves on the back of good defence, so I’m really pleased with that part, in particular.”

The Magpies, who next host West Coast at Marvel Stadium on Sunday week, are unbeaten in their past five games, a period they defeated Brisbane at the Gabba, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and the Blues, as well as the draw with the Bombers.

They are provisionally up to seventh spot on the ladder and those early defeats are a distant memory.

“We’re just building and building,” Lipinski said. “We’ve been struggling to play a four-quarter game, but that was pretty close to it, so it was a great win.”

McRae echoed those sentiments, admitting he would have had a “sour taste” in his mouth if they had not secured the four points after amassing 61 inside 50s to the Blues’ 38, including a 21-5 advantage in the final term.

“That’s a nourishing win,” the coach said.

“A couple of weeks ago, I said you don’t get style points, you only get four points – but we had a bit of style to it tonight. I felt there were some things in our game that sort of expressed themselves.

“We looked really well-connected at times. It’s not a perfect game, a minute to go, and the scores are level, but we’re not really aiming for that … that’s a deeper win than potentially we’ve had this year.”

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