Peter Daicos.
Excerpt from a superb post on
The Footy Almanac...
July 14, 2011 by
Damian Balassone
1. 1981 Round 10 vs. Richmond, Victoria Park
After showing promise as a centreman, Tom Hafey swung Daicos forward in 1981. The results were phenomenal: 76 goals, including a bag of 9 against the reigning premiers on this occasion at Victoria Park. In this memorable passage of play, he utterly embarrasses two charging Richmond defenders by presenting them the ball – comically, they take the bait and crash into each other, while Daicos spins around and kicks truly.
2. 1981 1st Semi Final vs. Fitzroy, MCG
Pure poetry in motion, Daicos gathers the ball, evades a tackle, bounces while running in the opposite direction of the goal, perhaps pretending to get back onto his right, before swinging around towards the big sticks onto his left foot and kicking a goal.
3. 1981 1st Semi Final vs. Fitzroy, MCG
Daicos gathers the ball from Rene Kink about 30 metres out and wheels around on to his right foot. He seems to levitate in midair as he drops it on to his right boot, snapping a wonderful across-the-body goal. Later on, with the Pies 10 points down late in the final quarter (after surrendering a 40 point half-time lead) a set shot from Daicos closes the gap to 4 points. A minute later Ross Brewer goals. The Pies win by a point.
4. 1981 Preliminary Final vs. Geelong, VFL Park
Late in the final term Geelong lead by 5 points. Daicos takes a mark on the lead about 65 metres out, marginally in front of Ian Nankervis. What can he do? He handballs the ball over the head of Nankervis, outsprints him to the ball, gathers it back, and, as a desperate Nankervis trips over, Daicos straightens up and kicks the goal that sends the Pies into the Grand Final.
5. 1981 Grand Final vs. Carlton, MCG
A bullet like handball from Tony Shaw is tapped, almost caressed by Daicos’ right hand, with Ken Hunter very close by, before Daicos curls it around on his left foot for a goal.
6. 1982 Round 5 vs. North Melbourne, Arden Street
Daicos booted 6 goals in the third quarter of this game, the first of which was most unusual. With the ball in Collingwood’s forward line, team mate Mark Weideman’s stray handball bounced off the field umpire straight into the hands of the ultimate opportunist Daicos who screwed it around on his left foot for goal. Later on in the season, after the great Tom Hafey is sacked, Daicos is moved back into the centre by caretaker coach Mick Irwin. Daicos wins the Copeland and spends the best part of the 80s as a brilliant centreman, dodging and weaving, belly-dancing through packs, pinpointing teammates with precise passes.
7. 1984 Round 1 vs. Melbourne, Victoria Park
With the Woods 27 points down midway through the final term, Daicos unleashes a 65 metre torp from the boundary in front of the Rush Stand. It splits the sticks and triggers off 7 unanswered goals.
8. 1984 1st Semi Final vs. Carlton, VFL Park
A rare finals win for the Pies against the Blues and on this occasion Daicos booted 7 goals, none better than his first. The ball is bouncing in the forward line – in between a pack of 4 or 5 players – when Daicos gathers it one-handed facing goal, somehow managing to evade Wayne Harmes and Wayne Blackwell. The ball then slips behind his back, and his mouthguard almost pops out, before Daicos steadies, straightens and kicks a left foot goal.
9. 1984 1st Semi Final vs. Carlton, VFL Park
Daicos receives a short pass from Neville Shaw and proceeds to dance in front of his opponent Bruce Reid (father of Ben) before curling the ball around his body for a goal.
10. 1990 Round 2 vs. Carlton, VFL Park
After overcoming a serious knee injury (1985) and severe stress fractures of the feet (1987) Daicos wins a second Copeland Trophy as a centreman in 1988. Leigh Matthews moves him forward again in 1990. This time the move delivers Collingwood a premiership with Daicos booting 97 goals – a record number of goals by a non full-forward (ironically eclipsing Lethal’s record). On this particular occasion Daicos paddles the ball to the boundary line with the long-haired Tom Alvin half a yard behind him. Just before the ball crosses the line, Daicos gathers it and throws it on to his left boot, dribbling it through for his 7th goal of the afternoon.
Sidebar: we would have 100,000 members IF Daicos was now playing.