Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos is set to cash in on a stunning 2026, while Eddie McGuire has addressed speculation around whether he’s been sounded out about an AFL Commission role.

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BROWNLOW BONUS, CARS AND CASH AS MONSTER DAICOS AWARDS SEASON PAYDAY LOOMS

Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos is well placed to cash in on his brilliant 2026 campaign during AFL awards season next month, according to CODE Sports reporter Glenn McFarlane.

Daicos is one of the shortest-priced favourites in Brownlow Medal history, with the ball magnet widely tipped to finally claim the AFL’s most prestigious individual honour after top-three finishes in the past three consecutive counts.

The Magpie’s dominance will almost certainly see him claim an array of other individual awards with lucrative rewards. That could include Fox Footy’s ‘GVP’ – the Garry Lyon-driven AFL 360 award with a Ford Ranger Super Duty XLT worth around $90,000 as the grand prize.

Speaking on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle on Tuesday night, McFarlane said Daicos’ “pocket was looking really good at the moment”.

“We know he wants that second premiership medal, that’s what he’s desperate for at the moment. But winning a Brownlow is going to really help him,” McFarlane told Midweek Tackle.

“A well-deserved Brownlow win would secure him a contract bonus of around $100,000 – that’s a good start. But the prizes on offer as well are up around $250,000, there’s a couple of cars in there as well.”

Pendles keen to play on in 2027 | 01:04

CODE Sports colleague Jon Ralph added: “He’s going to win absolutely everything – and you think this (Brownlow Medal) is the missing part from his resume. He’s won Rising Stars, he’s won MVPs, he’s won Coaches’ Association awards.

“It’s not 15 years of misses, but I think when he wins it will endear him to some fans, who believe he’s not hard enough or doesn’t get enough contested (possessions) and huge level of popular acclaim.

“It’s going to be a popular win and it’s very much going to help his brand, his appeal and his leverage.”

McFarlane also predicted Daicos would look to extend his Magpies deal at some stage next year.

“We know that he’s contracted on really good money through until the end of 2029, but I think by middle to late next year, he would look at maybe extending that,” McFarlane said. “Collingwood have certainly told us they’re really keen on extending that well beyond 2030. So that could push out to around $2 million.

“We know the Pies have had a crack at Zak Butters – and they have upped that offer to around $1.8 million. Nick Daicos has surely got to get more than that.

“There’s a lot of money coming ion for Nick, but absolutely he deserves it.”

‘WANT ME TO ANSWER TRUTHFULLY?’: EDDIE’S AFL COMMISSION ADMISSION

Ex-Magpies president Eddie McGuire remains open to the idea of joining the AFL Commission, but insists Craig Drummond is the league’s long-term chairman.

The AFL is navigating the Geelong concussion contract saga, sending the Cats a ‘please explain’ for a secret deal struck two years ago with premiership defender Jake Kolodjashnij, who waived some of his legal rights for any further on-field head knocks.

It’s led to speculation over the future of AFL Commission chairman Drummond, who was president of Geelong in 2024 when the contentious ‘waiver’ was signed and, therefore, removed himself from Commission deliberations on the case.

Reporter Tom Morris told SEN Breakfast on Monday said if Drummond stepped down from his role, there was a sense among the AFL industry that “there might be an SOS” to McGuire be the Commission chairman.

Kolodjashnij ‘rattled’ by waiver saga | 00:59

Speaking on Footy Classified on Tuesday night, McGuire said he believed Drummond would not only survive, but “be exonerated from any of the issues involved”.

Asked later in the Channel 9 program by James Hird if “someone in the AFL ecosystem” had sounded out McGuire about a Commission role, the former Collingwood president said: “Do you want me to answer it truthfully? Yes I have … People always ring up and text.”

Then asked if he’d consider the opportunity, McGuire said: “No, not the chairman! I said tonight Craig Drummond will be the chair.”

But pressed on whether he’d consider a role as an AFL Commissioner, McGuire said: “I said this last time. We’ve had this for the last two years when Richard Goyder was leaving.

“I love football. If I was offered, if they thought that I had some skills to provide and help football, of course I’d give myself up every time.”