Josh Daicos wins Copeland Trophy in Collingwood’s flag year
Collingwood midfielder Josh Daicos won his first E.W. Copeland Trophy as the club’s best and fairest on Friday night as his brother Nick’s late-season knee injury potentially denied him another award.
Josh Daicos topped off a premiership win and a first All-Australian selection with the award, polling 301 votes while playing in all 26 games for the Magpies.
Nick Daicos and defender Brayden Maynard finished equal second with 287 votes after the younger Daicos injured his knee in round 21 and didn’t play the last three games of the regular season and the qualifying final.
Nick Daicos similarly fell short in the Brownlow Medal count, where he was leading when he was injured before finishing third, three votes behind winner Lachie Neale from the Brisbane Lions.
Magpies great Peter Daicos still leads both his sons, having won two Copeland Trophies (1982 and 1988) during his 250-game career at the club.
Josh Daicos paid credit to his family and his girlfriend Annalise calling the past two years the best years of his life.
“To my girlfriend Anna, it’s no coincidence that I’ve played my best football since you came into my life,” Josh said.
“To Mum, you don’t get the credit that you deserve, you were definitely the hardest on Nick and I growing up, so we credit a lot of our success to you.”
Nick Daicos said it was a great honour to be on the stage with Maynard whom he tied with for second spot.
“Let’s get some more,” he told the room, referring to premierships.
Midfielder Tom Mitchell polled 283 votes in his first year with the Magpies to finish fourth while the ageless Scott Pendlebury had another stellar season with 282 votes to finish fifth. Pendlebury has made the top five in the Copeland Trophy in 15 of his 18 AFL seasons.
Captain Darcy Moore, who was centre halfback in the All-Australian team, was ninth.
Last year’s Copeland Trophy winner Jack Crisp won the Bob Rose award as best player in the finals.
“Let’s get some more,” he told the room, referring to premierships.
Midfielder Tom Mitchell polled 283 votes in his first year with the Magpies to finish fourth while the ageless Scott Pendlebury had another stellar season with 282 votes to finish fifth. Pendlebury has made the top five in the Copeland Trophy in 15 of his 18 AFL seasons.
Captain Darcy Moore, who was centre halfback in the All-Australian team, was ninth.
Last year’s Copeland Trophy winner Jack Crisp won the Bob Rose award as best player in the finals.
