DAICOS BLOW AS TOLL MOUNTS

With just three weeks left of the home and away season, injuries are becoming an unfortunate by-product and a key storyline as the toll of an arduous campaign comes to a head.

Nick Daicos’ knee setback is a crucial inflection point in Collingwood’s season for several reasons, with the 20-year-old and key Brownlow Medal contender set to miss around six weeks with a hairline knee fracture.

If that timeline is correct, Daicos might only be back for a potential semi or preliminary final, raising more questions about just how match fit he’ll be for the biggest games of the season.

Daicos’ injury setback will also have significant Brownlow ramifications, even more so

Round 22 Milestones

considering the hot form of Western Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli in recent weeks.

Collingwood coach Craig McRae revealed the nature of Daicos’ injury on SEN’s The Run Home last Tuesday, saying resting the on-baller had been on the cards before he sustained the knee injury in the loss to Hawthorn.

“I was saying (to Daicos) we might need to look after you and manage you and potentially even sub you in the coming weeks because the loads … he hasn’t missed anything to date,” McRae said.

“Then he gets an impact injury, it’s funny how these things work.

“We were talking about maybe moving him into different roles because people lose sight, he’s only played 40-odd games … he’s a huge asset for us and we’re looking forward to getting him back.”

But it isn’t just Collingwood which is managing key injury issues ahead of the finals, with Melbourne’s in-form forward Harrison Petty ruled out for the remainder of the season with a foot injury.

Geelong is also managing several injury issues with the latest casualty the versatile Jack Henry, who has a serious foot injury and, like Petty, won’t play again in 2023.

The old adage that the AFL season is a marathon and not a sprint couldn’t be any truer this year given there has been an extra game due to Gather Round.

Meanwhile, Daicos has blown out in Brownlow markets after being as short as $1.70 a few weeks ago. He is now around the $5.50 mark, while Bontempelli is $2.25 favourite.