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Collingwood coach Craig McRae has slammed critics of Magpies young gun Nick Daicos, describing the 20-year old as an ‘exceptional talent’.
Despite a phenomenal start to his second season, in which he averages 36 disposals after five matches and has surged to Brownlow Medal favouritism, Daicos has come in for criticism for his contested ball-winning and abundance of kick-ins, with some pundits arguing the stats don’t paint a true picture of his impact.
However, speaking on SEN, McRae couldn’t disagree more.
“He’s an exceptional talent and his decision-making is like no one else in our team. He sees things that others don’t see,” McRae said of Daicos.
“I’m sure if 17 other clubs had Nick Daicos on their list, they’d be looking for ways to get him involved in the game – playing in positions where you want to give him the ball [so he can] make great decisions.
“He’s not going be perfect, we don’t even want him to be that word. What he’s doing right now is fulfilling talent and making us better.
“He’s an incredible player – let’s face it.”
McRae had nothing but praise for the 20-year old’s dedication towards training, urging anyone with AFL ambitions to learn from his preparation.
“The thing that separates Nick from others is the way he prepares – he prepares as good as anyone that you’ve seen,” McRae said.
“If you’re a young lad out there and you want to know how to make it, get to training and watch Nick train. He comes back on day one of pre-season and wins the time trial. It’s not a bad statement to make – that’s work he’s done.
“The way he prepares, the way he’s in there with the coaches yesterday, looking at all the things he can do better and the things he’s done that he wants to acknowledge.”
McRae slammed Daicos’ critics, saying focusing on negatives is a sad indictment on modern society.
“I don’t love it as a society, really,” he said.
“Why would we look for the wrong or the things that he can’t do? I love looking at things he can do and rewarding the behaviour. Not just Nick, but everyone.”
The second-placed Magpies face the third-place Essendon on Tuesday in the annual Anzac Day blockbuster.
Nick Larkey of the Kangaroos is tackled by Nick Daicos of the Magpies. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
After a week of blaming one another for their role in the Jason Horne-Francis booing controversy, Kane Cornes and David King have clashed in a heated radio argument on SEN.
Horne-Francis receiving boos during Port Adelaide’s win over the Western Bulldogs has been the subject of much debate during the week, and escalated when King took Cornes to task on Fox Footy’s First Crack for his role in instigating the treatment of the 19-year old.
Cornes then responded on Nine’s Footy Classified, alleging that Power coach Ken Hinkley’s savage critique at Horne-Francis’ detractors was mainly aimed at King.
On Friday morning, the pair went face to face for the first time since making their claims, with Cornes claiming King ‘threw [him] under the bus’ with his comments.
“This only became an issue when you [Cornes] engaged in trolling the North Melbourne fans [over Horne-Francis’ departure] – who were already hurting – and it spiralled out of control,” King said.
“On Sunday, they’re [Port Adelaide officials] watching the show [First Crack] going ‘we can’t believe how ‘Kingy’ threw you under the bus when he clearly knew we were talking about him and Fox Footy and others,” Cornes responded.
King went on to accuse Cornes of misrepresenting his criticisms of Horne-Francis in the past.
“You can highlight last year’s comments from you, from me, from a whole heap of people – if you don’t think they matter, they can all go in the bin,” King said.
“You made out like it was Port audio… the whole thing’s out of context.”
Cornes claimed his 2022 criticisms of Horne-Francis came ‘prior to me knowing the lack of support that he had [at North Melbourne], the lack of medical treatment that he had on the hamstring issues that were affecting him… there were a whole host of reasons that I had no idea about,” Cornes said.
“I don’t necessarily blame him now that I know what he was going through for his actions at North Melbourne last year.”
“I agree with you on a lot of that stuff… there were shortcomings in the way North Melbourne treated Jason Horne-Francis, and in the end, it cost people their jobs, and in the end, Jason left,” King replied.
“When you’re the number one pick, and you then leave after one year, you take the multi-year, multi-million dollar deal, you become a player of significant profile. Port Adelaide knew that this would bring significant heat. Jason knew leaving North Melbourne for Port Adelaide would bring this sort of heat.
“I can’t believe the whingeing now that it’s all turned.”
Despite criticism from King over his conduct, Cornes reiterated that he wouldn’t be changing his polarising ways – including his controversial use of the #icebath in relation to Horne-Francis’ Kangaroos departure.
“Are you ever going to use #icebath again?” King asked.
“100 per cent – why wouldn’t I?” Cornes responded. “So North Melbourne fans are that weak-minded that I get under their skin that much.”
“That’s disappointing,” King answered. “It’s not going to help Jason… if you use #icebath again, I think that’s the most juvenile thing I’ve ever heard you do.
“It doesn’t help your boy.”
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is urging Rory Lobb to embrace the boos when the key forward confronts his former club in Friday night’s AFL clash with Fremantle in Perth.
Lobb’s messy exit from the Dockers at the end of last season means he will be enemy No.1 at Optus Stadium.
The 30-year-old has endured a tough start to his time at the Bulldogs, booting just three goals in four appearances.
Fremantle have also struggled without Lobb, with the Dockers opening the season with a 2-3 record amidst some forward-line struggles.
Freo fans are tipped to give Lobb a frosty reception, but Beveridge doesn’t think the 207cm spearhead will be put off his game.
“Rory’s expecting it, and we’ll help him deal with it and we’ll help him play as well as he can,” Beveridge told reporters on Thursday.
“I don’t think the booing of Rory Lobb tomorrow night is going to be an issue.
“It’s definitely topical when it comes to other players at different times, but we just need to welcome it and (welcome) the hostile environment we’re going to walk into tomorrow night.”
Just last week, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley took issue at people booing 19-year-old recruit Jason Horne-Francis, saying people should be embarrassed heckling such a young player.
Sydney champion Adam Goodes was driven out of the game by booing that had racist undertones.
Beveridge doesn’t have an issue with booing, as long as it’s done in the right context.
“Booing is ingrained in our game … it’s quite a natural phenomenon as far as I’m concerned,” Beveridge said.
“From when we were all kids, at the footy, spectators have always tried to get the upper hand and help their team by booing opposition players.
“But if there’s something sinister and nasty attached to it, then I don’t think any of us condone it.”
Fremantle made just one change, slotting last week’s sub Will Brodie into the 22 to replace Sam Switkowski (calf).
The Bulldogs welcome back Alex Keath from concussion in place of Josh Bruce, who is set for an extended stint on the sidelines after injuring multiple ribs in last week’s 14-point loss to the Power.
Last week’s sub Toby McLean has replaced Mitch Hannan in the 22.
Two of the Bulldogs’ most traumatic recent big-game losses have come at Optus Stadium.
They lost the 2021 grand final to Melbourne by 74 points and coughed up a 41-point lead in last year’s 13-point elimination-final defeat to Fremantle.
But there have also been happy memories, most notably a 101-point win over West Coast last year.
Beveridge doesn’t think last year’s elimination-final loss to the Dockers will continue to haunt his players.
“It’s not an issue. You’ve got to move on from episodes like that,” he said.
“We’ve had a similarly traumatic ending to a year the year before that, on the same oval.
“But we’ve had some really good wins out here and the boys enjoy playing here.”
(AAP)
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