Collingwood star Nick Daicos was sidelined with a calf injury during the Magpies’ King’s Birthday clash against Melbourne, though his team secured a commanding win.
The injury occurred in the closing moments of the third quarter when Daicos took an accidental knee to the shin from Melbourne’s Alex Neal-Bullen. Despite limping off the field in visible discomfort, Daicos managed to return briefly in the final quarter. However, with Collingwood leading by 40 points and 12 minutes left on the clock, coach Craig McRae opted to sub him out for precautionary reasons.
Daicos was later seen with ice applied to his lower right leg, indicating a possible calf strain. Fortunately for Collingwood, the team has a bye next week, providing Daicos with additional time to recover.
This setback adds to a string of injuries for the Magpies, who are already missing key players like Scott Pendlebury, Tom Mitchell, Jordan De Goey, Jamie Elliott, Mason Cox, and Brody Mihocek.
In a game where Daicos was notably quiet, tallying just 15 possessions and a single goal in the third quarter, the Magpies still managed a 38-point victory. Jack Crisp shone as the best on ground with 27 touches, while Josh Daicos and Brayden Maynard were instrumental in the win. Nathan Kreuger marked his return with a career-high three goals, alongside Harvey Harrison, who also scored three.
Melbourne faced their own challenges, with Christian Petracca suffering a significant rib injury that saw him subbed out and later hospitalized.
Despite the injuries, the victory propels Collingwood up to sixth place on the ladder, maintaining their momentum in a season marred by key absences.