The surprising transformation of Nick Daicos has left his unusually large number of critics admitting…

Nick Daicos is arguably the best player in the AFL in just his third season and perhaps the most needlessly divisive.

It might be because he plays for Collingwood, or because he’s their standout player, but if people dislike Daicos, it’s likely due to the hype that has always surrounded him.

He was praised as an underage talent, with Nathan Buckley labeling him as “ready to go” before his draft year. He entered the league with tremendous anticipation and expectations, perhaps greater than any other young talent, and he exceeded those expectations by far.

Starting his career, Daicos mostly played across half-back, averaging nearly 26 disposals per game in his first season and earning 11 Brownlow votes. Despite plenty of recognition, a vocal segment of AFL fans and media criticized him, calling his disposals “meaningless” and his achievements “cheap,” attempting to downplay his success.

In 2023, he transitioned to the midfield, averaging 31 disposals, scoring 19 goals, and providing 13 goal assists, earning 28 Brownlow votes in a premiership-winning season. He was awarded the Brownlow Medal, an All-Australian jacket, and an ANZAC Medal.

Despite all this, his high uncontested possession rate, his role in facilitating forward handballs, and the overall outside-the-contest nature of his game, while intentionally developed, meant that the acclaim was far from universal.

This season, he has become Collingwood’s primary midfield driver. Notably, he had a standout performance against Adelaide with 41 disposals, 22 contested possessions, 14 clearances, and five tackles. However, he also had 11 clangers and his worst kicking efficiency.

Champion Data ranked him as the 21st best player on the ground, which added to the controversy. While he wasn’t the best, he was certainly among the top players. Numbers are useful for telling a story, but they need to align with the eye test.

Social media is often seen as a vocal minority, but in the realm of footy, the noise on social media, through media channels, and among fanbases indicates that the divisiveness around Daicos is real.

If you’ve attended a Collingwood game, you’ve heard the opposition fans’ comments about the third-year star. On social media, opinions about him span the entire spectrum.

Champion Data’s stats on his Adelaide game, media critiques, and celebrations all contribute to making Nick Daicos the most talked-about player in the league.

"His clearance work was off the charts…"

Craig McRae gives his thoughts on Nick Daicos' performance on the weekend.@TheRunHomeSEN | #AFL pic.twitter.com/aue09140BL

— SEN 1116 (@1116sen) May 21, 2024

There’s nothing inherently wrong with this; it comes with the territory of being one of the best and soon-to-be highest-paid players in the league. However, it is curious how Daicos is treated somewhat differently.

Star players tend to be divisive, but usually, their positives far outweigh any negative press. Marcus Bontempelli, for instance, is widely respected and rarely criticized, and Jeremy Cameron is only critiqued when facing suspension.

Toby Greene is likely the most divisive player, but that’s due to factors other than talent, similar to Clayton Oliver. Many superstars, like Christian Petracca, Nat Fyfe, and Patrick Cripps, receive negative press about their kicking, but these criticisms are usually backed by statistics.

Lachie Neale is another league star, and any divisiveness he faces is beyond his control—he didn’t choose to win his second Brownlow Medal.

Despite Daicos’ constant development to the point of being the best inside midfielder and a crucial clearance player in a narrow win over Adelaide, his significant progress toward becoming a generational, well-rounded threat is not celebrated. Instead, criticisms focus on his poor ball use, excessive clangers, and lack of scoring.

This likely stems from a mix of factors. Despite the hype, if Daicos played for lower-ranked teams like North Melbourne or St Kilda, the narrative might focus on rescuing him from a struggling team. For instance, Harry Sheezel, who is developing similarly to Daicos, doesn’t face the same criticism.

There is an inherent bias against Collingwood and a tendency to resent hyped players. Additionally, some fans believe their own players are better than Daicos and feel compelled to voice this opinion.

Nick Daicos was everywhere on Sunday accumulating 36 disposals, seven clearances and nine score involvements.

That is without mentioning his 17 contested possessions and six inside 50's 🔝👑 pic.twitter.com/5E85xNV8h9

— Collingwood FC (@CollingwoodFC) May 14, 2024

When Daicos plays off half-back, critics say he gets too many cheap, meaningless touches. When he’s a receiver in the midfield, they question why he can’t win his own ball and distribute it. As an inside midfielder and clearance specialist, they claim he wastes too many disposals and doesn’t hit enough targets. Every player has detractors, but few struggle as much as Daicos to win public approval.

In 2024, through ten games, he’s averaging career-highs in disposals, clearances, contested possessions, inside 50s, score involvements, tackles, and pressure acts. In most of these categories, he is rated elite. The next steps for his game include maintaining consistent impact across four quarters, improving his follow-up work once the ball enters another contest, and developing his defensive running. It’s crucial for him to find time and space as a midfielder independently, rather than relying on teammates’ blocking, to maximize his impact.

Even if these aspects take time to develop, Daicos already stands out with his inside/outside ability, breakaway speed, and improving pressure. This combination likely places him at the top among midfielders in the league. His continued excellence shouldn’t preclude him from being celebrated as a star. Perhaps we’re all guilty of focusing on the negatives and the Australian tendency to knock stars down a peg or two.

Collingwood fans know it, AFL fans should recognize it, and the media has to acknowledge it. While Daicos isn’t without flaws—no player is—he has developed into everything hoped for and more. His trajectory suggests he could reach extraordinary heights.

In 2024, the 21-year-old is having an exceptional season with few negatives and has been a key driver behind Collingwood’s improvement after a slow start. Divisive or not, Nick Daicos is already one of the best players in the league and should be celebrated as such—players of his talent are rare.