Latest news with #MarcusWindhager
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
AFL fans divided over Nick Diacos' tagging treatment as celebration detail emerges
St Kilda's efforts to tag Nick Daicos have been labelled as a 'step too far' with the Collingwood midfielder's maturity highlighted amid the rough tactics. Daicos had to contend with one of his more challenging nights on Saturday after tagger Marcus Windhager got stuck into the Magpies star in Collingwood's 16.12 (108) to 11.8 (74) win. Despite the tactic, Daicos was the best on ground with 30 possessions and his crucial last-term goal left Windhager and his teammates demoralised. And while Daicos emerged with a smile on his face after getting the better of the duel, not all were impressed with the tactics. North Melbourne great David King understood it was the expectations of a tagger to frustrate Daicos and push him into making a mistake. One clip showed Windhager appearing to knee Daicos off the ball. And King felt the AFL might need to step in if it ramps up with the potential of injuring a superstar doing damage to the game. 'This is the sort of stuff that's going on. Little knees to the back of the hamstrings. I think that's too far,' King said on Saturday on Fox Sports. 'Taggers do anything to get under the skin ... just little things that are a step too far. (The knees) are a no-go, I think that's outside the code ... If that's happened 15-20 times, I'd expect a call from the AFL. We've got to look after our star-factor players. The game owes these players some sort of protection.' And it was this sentiment that prompted Collingwood coach Craig McRae to praise his players for stepping in and defending Daicos so he wasn't fighting the battle on his own. "There was always going to be a lot of cameras on it (the tag). The spotlight was on it," he said. "We don't want him to fight the battles, we'll fight them for him. "He didn't need to get caught up in the wrestle of that. As a team, we want to look after him. You'd say his performance was pretty impactful and then the way we looked after Nick, I was more proud than what we have (done) in recent times." But after weeks of suggestions Daicos needed to be tagged, questions are being asked if it was over the top. Although Daicos himself didn't have an issue having praised Windhager after the tussle. "Windhager has done some great jobs this year and I knew coming in would be a tough night," Daicos said to Fox Sports. "It's about how I can open up space for my teammates. I thought I was able to do that. I love playing in the midfield." And it was this tactical adjustment that prompted Rory Sloane to label him as one of the 'smartest' players in the comp. It's not the tagging it's the kneeing him in the legs and the pinching that pisses me off, and shouldn't the tagger at least have to pretend he is looking at the ball? — Garry (@i_hate_dan1) June 21, 2025 Speaking on Channel Nine, Sloane broke down how the tagging on Daicos allowed the Collingwood midfielder to open up space for his teammates. During the stoppages, Daicos was heavily marked. Although Sloane pointed out he was backing off and opening up channels for his teammates to run through. "Most teams don't tag because they feel like it pulls apart their structure. And last night it certainly pulled apart St Kilda's structure, particularly around centre bounce," Sloane said. "He is one of the smartest players in the comp..." Sloane felt Daicos was the stand out performer, especially in the fourth quarter. And while he could have celebrated to taunt Windhager after being tagged the whole game, Sloane felt it showed the young star's maturity to remain calm and walk away from the drama. "I think his whole game was enormous. His ability to stand up late in the last, and finish the goal. Not only celebration afterwards showed his maturity," Sloane said. "Didn't go at Marcus, he just got on with the game." Collingwood remained first on the ladder with 48 points, while St Kilda dropped to 15th. "He's one of the smartest players in the comp."Rory Sloane with the vision of how Nick Daicos used Marcus Windhager's tag to create space for teammates.#9AFLSFS | Watch on Nine & 9Now 🖥️ — Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) June 22, 2025
News.com.au
12 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Coach asks the big Nick Daicos question as rival violates players' code
North Melbourne great David King has sensationally suggested St Kilda's Marcus Windhager violated the players' code during his tagging of Nick Daicos on Saturday night. The Collingwood superstar shook off a determined tag and tore the Saints apart in the Magpies' 16.12 (108) to 11.8 (74) win at Marvel Stadium. Footy pundits across the industry questioned if Windhager's niggling tactics crossed the line, but the situation took another turn after the game with St Kilda coach Ross Lyon asking the million dollar question about how umpires treat the Brownlow medal-fancy. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The success of Melbourne's Ed Langdon last round understandably prompted the Saints to send proven stopper Windhager to Daicos' side right from the first bounce. But Daicos was up to the challenge, kicking into gear physically and aerobically to ensure the Magpies went six points clear on top of the ladder. He was kept under wraps in the first quarter but broke through in style during strong second, third and fourth quarters. Daicos was crucial in Collingwood's third quarter burst – which collected three goals in two minutes – before hitting the scoreboard himself with only an inch of space in the last. You can watch the cheap shots and knee incident in the video player above He finished with 30 disposals, five clearances, nine inside 50s, nine score involvements and a goal. Speaking in his post-match press conference, Lyon questioned whether Daicos is umpired differently to others after two early free kicks went the Collingwood star's way. Lyon saw both players 'have their moments' but was confused with some of the decisions judged against Windhager. 'Daicos had a fair bit of ball, a few entries, he moved around (and) I think we handled that,' Lyon said. 'We'll probably go early and look at some of those free kicks, I am not sure they're free kicks but I think we'll take that in and ask the question. 'Are there two sets of rules going around? I am not sure, am I allowed to say that? 'I think he's (Daicos) a great player, we know that, a great young player – at the end they (Collingwood) get the points and go, 'It didn't work'. 'When we were even and come from 20 points down, it's looking good, we say, 'It's working'. I like the theatre of it … I think it's great for the game, isn't it?' It came after Collingwood coach Craig McRae shined a light on Windhager's looming Daicos assignment this week by questioning the 'value' of tagging. King said on Fox Footy after the game Windhager had gone too far, saying the Saints star's behaviour was 'against the code'. King's comments were made as Fox Footy showed clips of Daicos being pinched, pushed and smothered off the ball. It was the sight of Windhager kneeing Daicos to the back of his legs late in the game that angered King the most. 'I think Craig McRae would be frustrated,' King said. 'In the last few weeks he's put it to the media in an attempt I think to get the umpire department to wise up. This is the sort of stuff that's going on. Little knees to the hamstring. I think that's too far. 'These sorts of things. Taggers will do anything to get under your skin. There's a little whack here. Just little things that are a step too far.' King said he didn't like the treatment Daicos received at stoppages. 'The game owes these sorts of players some form protection,' he said. 'The umpires did take a stand early. They paid a free kick to a punch in the stomach 30 seconds into the game. I think perfect. Craig McRae's had a big win here. 'I still think our stars get held and contorted and twisted at stoppages.' The Magpies are now more than a game clear of reigning premier Brisbane with last-placed West Coast next week. Speaking after the game, McRae once again stressed the importance of protecting Daicos. 'I just said to Nick when he came off for the first break that we don't want him to fight the battles, we'll fight them for him,' he said. 'He didn't need to get caught up in the wrestle of that; the free kick against I am probably talking about. 'As a group, as a team, we want to look after him (and) we don't want him sitting there feeling like he's fighting his own battle. 'I feel like tonight as a collective, Nick's had 30 possessions, so you'd say his performance was pretty impactful and then the way we looked after Nick.'
News.com.au
20 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Did Saints take Nick Daicos tag too far?
AFL: The Fox Footy panel discuss Marcus Windhager's tag on Nick Daicos and get Collingwood coach Craig McRae's thoughts on it.
