Gold Coast is doing what it can to attempt to lure Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos to the club down the line, potentially when he becomes a free agent in 2029.
The Magpies champion is the favourite for this year’s Brownlow Medal and is already a three-time All-Australian, premiership player, Collingwood best and fairest and vice captain of the club at just 23.
Nick Daicos of the Magpies celebrates kicking a goal. Getty Images
Arguably the best player in the competition, Daicos is building one of the game’s great resumes at this early stage of his career.
During last year’s trade period, it was reported that multiple clubs, including the Tassie Devils, enquired with the midfielder’s management about his potential availability.
It stemmed from Daicos finishing second in Collingwood’s best and fairest, a situation that saw his father Peter Daicos depart the count early.
Leading AFL reporter Cal Twomey revealed on Footy Classified on Tuesday night that the Suns were a realistic chance to lure him away from Collingwood, if the opportunity presented itself in the future.
The report drew some criticism, but Twomey has since elaborated on the situation as he knows it.
“Sometimes you have to report things knowing they’re not going to happen right now,” Twomey told 3AW on Thursday evening.
“What happened recently is Gold Coast, who have a number of clubs asking the question of their players, asked the question back. They reached out to the management of Nick Daicos and said ‘what are the chances’.
“Last year, a number of clubs reached out to Nick Daicos directly or his management during the trade period and asked themselves to see if there was any chance.
“The links here are that the Daicos’ have extended family in Queensland. They spend a lot of time on the Gold Coast.
“Gold Coast was the one club to formally interview Daicos during his draft year. They took him through their facility, and he enjoyed that at the time.
“It was actually a decision he weighed up in his draft year, nominating the Pies as a father-son or entering the open draft where if he had, the Suns would have moved up to the No.1 pick and draft him. They were also the club that bid on him.
“Their interest in him has remained consistent and they’ve made that clear. Yes, every club would be interested in Nick Daicos, but he’s a free agent in 2029, if you’re not planting the seed now to start him thinking about it…”
Richmond legend Matthew Richardson believes it would be the single biggest trade period move in the game’s history, topping Gold Coast’s signing of Gary Ablett back in 2010.
“That would be the biggest contract in AFL history if he leaves Collingwood,” Richardson said.
“You can’t picture him (leaving the) black and white stripes because of the name.”
The highest-paid player in the AFL in 2026 is St Kilda’s Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, earning $2m per season.
Come 2029, it’s likely Daicos’ next contract will be worth significantly more.
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick addressed the rumoured links on Thursday morning.
“Players such as Nick, and various other players, any club would be crazy not to look at,” Hardwick told reporters.
“Those decisions are probably out of my control, we’ll just work with what we’ve got.
“We’re really happy with the playing group and list we have at the moment.
“We’re always looking to improve that, absolutely, but they’re list management decisions that will take place towards the back-end of the year and the years forthcoming.”