Footage of Nick Daicos being shrugged off by Mitch Owens is raising alarm bells around the AFL world, with Collingwood copping heat for some ‘timid’ efforts against St Kilda. The Magpies slumped to 0-3 on the season after a 15-point loss to the Saints on Thursday night, the first time they’ve started this poorly since 1999.
Plenty of questions are being asked about Collingwood’s commitment and effort in all three losses, and the same issues reared their ugly head again on Thursday. A number of veteran players have been well below their best, and are clearly suffering a premiership hangover.
But young superstar Daicos has also failed to fire, and an embarrassing effort early in Thursday night’s game has come in for heavy scrutiny. Daicos appeared hesitant to put his body in the firing line in a feeble attempted tackle on Owens, who brushed his opponent away with ease before kicking downfield.
The Saints got the ball to the forward square and were awarded a free kick, which they converted into a goal for a 31-19 lead. “Nick Daicos was timid last night. I know that’s a criticism he probably hasn’t copped much through 50 games and it’s really tough to single him out, because he’s been as consistent as anyone,” Kane Cornes said on SEN radio on Friday.
But he was timid in the contest. He missed tackles, he fumbled and he was jumpy. Jordan De Goey is jumpy. Steele Sidebottom goes back with one hand instead of putting his full body there and costs them a goal. Darcy Moore is just missing a spoil because I don’t think he genuinely wants to put it all on the line.
The word ‘soft’ is synonymous with AFL football. I would never say that an AFL player is soft that crosses the white line – but they were timid. That is about as big a criticism as you can get as a team. You can go back and you can watch a significant number of efforts where Collingwood players were jumpy and timid.
“They didn’t really want to have contact last night … they didn’t want to feel the heat. They coughed up fundamentals and we’re talking fundamentals in the contest where they’ve been so strong. You won’t win finals if you’re not strong in the contest and they couldn’t handle the heat from the Saints. It’s not soft, but there’s not the ability to sacrifice your