Nick Daicos set to earn over double his 2023 salary from 2024 onwards

Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos has polled in the AFL Coaches Award every game this season. But how many Brownlow votes will that likely equal?

Collingwood’s brilliant second-year star Nick Daicos has a range of protections built into his four-year contract that will reward his stunning surge into Brownlow favouritism.

Daicos could have as many as 11 Brownlow Medal votes after five games despite teammate Jordan De Goey’s pair of best-afield performances stealing the limelight.

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon admitted his side would rectify their approach next time out after Daicos burnt the Saints with 42 disposals in a performance that saw him awarded 10 coaches votes.

Daicos is in the second season of a four-year initial deal that his agent Robbie R’Orazio brokered with Collingwood football boss Graham Wright when he signed on with the club in late 2021.

Nick Daicos has started the 2023 season in seriously good form. Picture: Getty Images

As part of the standard player contract second year players can only earn a fixed wage – with Daicos on a $140,000 base contract and $5000 per game given he played more than 17 games in his debut season.

It means he could be a cut-price $250,000 Brownlow Medallist if he continues the form that has made him a $4.50 favourite.

He leads the AFL Coaches Award on 35 votes from Geelong’s Jeremy Cameron (26), Sydney’s Chad Warner (24) and St Kilda’s Cal Wilkie (24).

But those protections mean his performances this year - as defined by best-and-fairest polling and All Australian recognition - have a significant bearing on his base contract next year.

Most top five draft picks who sign an early contract extension can demand as much as $450,000-$500,000 in their third and fourth seasons.

So if Daicos is All Australian with a high Copeland Trophy finish this season that current base figure would expand significantly next year and in 2025.

It means he will likely be paid well in excess of $500,000 from next year onwards.

Daicos will be rewarded for his performances in 2024 and beyond. Picture: Getty Images

Collingwood will gladly reward him with a fair wage next season even if it takes up some cap space given he will have deserved that salary with brilliant second-year performances.

In the AFL Coaches Award, Daicos was second in voting in round 1 behind only De Goey, polled nine coaches votes in round two (32 touches, two goals) and could secure one Brownlow vote in round 3 (33 possessions) as De Goey was at his brilliant best.

In the round 4 loss to Brisbane he had 38 possessions and two goals but Cam Rayner and Charlie Cameron were excellent, before his latest performance against St Kilda drew 10 Coaches votes.

With Daicos likely polling double-figure Brownlow votes already, he could be out to an early lead given Jeremy Cameron has played in three losing sides and Wilkie is a defender who will be totally ignored in Brownlow voting.

Daicos will also prove a highly marketable figure in coming years given the massive Collingwood fan base, his clean-cut appeal and a demeanour that means he remains level-headed despite his explosion into the game’s elite.

While rivals will likely attempt to put a harder tag on him in coming games he is winning 8.8 contested possessions a game (ranked elite) and easily burnt off Port Adelaide’s Lachie Jones as a direct tag early in the year.