Essendon’s Plan to Stop Nick Daicos in Blockbuster Clash

Essendon is gearing up for a crucial match against Collingwood, with superstar Nick Daicos posing a significant threat. The Bombers are on high alert as Daicos, a Brownlow Medal favorite, has consistently delivered exceptional performances, especially on big occasions like Anzac Day.

Daicos' Impact in Past Matches

Nick Daicos has a history of dominating games, particularly against Essendon. Here’s a quick look at his remarkable performance:

Anzac Day 2023: 40 disposals, six inside 50s, and two goals.

Warning from AFL Great

AFL legend Leigh Montagna has warned Essendon about the danger of underestimating Daicos. Speaking on Fox Footy’s First Crack Preview, Montagna emphasized Daicos' ability to change the game's outcome, especially in the final quarter.

Montagna's Advice

Montagna provided crucial statistics to highlight Daicos' impact:

Last Eight Games: Voted the first or second-best player by coaches in seven out of eight games.
Come-from-Behind Wins: Daicos has led Collingwood to victory 14 times when trailing at three-quarter time.

Notable Fourth-Quarter Performances

Here are some of Daicos' standout performances in come-from-behind victories:

Game	Disposals	Goals	Clearances
Round 6, 2023 (vs. Essendon)	7	2	1
Round 15, 2023	10	1	2
Round 19, 2023	6	1	4
Round 8, 2024 (vs. Essendon)	10	1	2
Round 14, 2024	10	0	2

Strategy for Essendon

Montagna suggests Essendon should consider tagging Daicos to limit his influence. He highlights past instances where teams managed to curb Daicos' performance:

Round 2, 2024: Marcus Windhager helped limit Daicos to 22 disposals.
King’s Birthday Clash: Alex Neal-Bullen held Daicos to 15 disposals before he was subbed out with a shin issue.

Key Player to Watch: Sam Durham

Montagna believes Sam Durham could be the key to Essendon’s strategy:

Durham’s Attributes: Leg speed, discipline, and defensive attitude make him an ideal match-up for Daicos.
Past Performance: Durham has previously succeeded in tagging top players, like Marcus Bontempelli.

Daicos' Current Season Stats

So far this season, Daicos is averaging:

Disposals: 30.5 per game
Clearances: Over 7 per game
Goals: Just under 1 per game

With Daicos in top form, Essendon needs a solid plan to contain him in their upcoming clash. Whether Brad Scott will implement Montagna's advice and use Durham as a tagger remains to be seen. The Bombers will have to be at their best to prevent Daicos from dominating the game once again.