Peter Daicos, Collingwood’s most famous No. 35, has given Jaidyn Stephenson his tick of approval
THE No. 35 jumper holds a special place in the hearts of all Collingwood supporters. But what does the club’s greatest to wear the number think of the current holder? GLENN McFARLANE spoke to PETER DAICOS to find out.
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COLLINGWOOD’S most famous No. 35 has given a big tick of approval to the current holder of one of the club’s most cherished jumpers, Jaidyn Stephenson.
Peter Daicos says Stephenson looks like a potential 200-game player.
The teenager is odds-on to become the Magpies’ first Rising Star winner after an outstanding start to his AFL career.
While Daicos says he is currently more focused on the No. 26 (his son Josh) than the No. 35, he has been taken by the way Stephenson has quickly adapted in his first 15 games.
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“I have always said that a player gets handed a jumper when they first come to a club, and the player has to remember he has to hand it back at some stage,” Daicos said this week.
“That happened to me 25 years ago, so I have moved on from it a bit from the No. 35.
“Jaidyn really excites me as a player, but let’s face it, all eyes for me are on No. 26 at the moment, and hopefully they will be for a long into the future.”
Stephenson is on track to play the most games in a No. 35 jumper in the one season since the club changed its policy at the end of 2010 to ensure its first player drafted wears that guernsey in his first year at the club.
The change came about to honour the sacrifice made by Simon Prestigiacomo when he withdrew from the 2010 Grand Final for the sake of the team after he knew he wasn’t right to play.
Eight players have worn the jumper since — including Jamie Elliott, Brodie Grundy and Jordan De Goey — with Stephenson knowing he will have to give it up next season to the top draft pick.
While some are suggesting Stephenson should keep it beyond this year, Daicos hasn’t got a problem with the club’s policy, saying the jumper is more important than the number on it.
“He has been fantastic so far,” Daicos said of 19-year-old Stephenson.
“He looks like he could be a 200-gamer; if anyone was going to get there, you would think he would be a chance … I don’t care what number he does it in.
“Clearly, he enjoys the ball going over his head and running back onto it.
“I would never kick the ball directly to him, I’d just sit it out in front of him and make a race out of it, because he is going to win it most times.
“He has got long arms. He uses his body so well. He is a really good finisher.
“That’s the sort of stuff that some blokes never acquire. When he gets a little more cunning and when he gets a bit stronger and a bit more confident, he will get better and better.”
Stephenson has kicked 25 goals from his 15 games, with his best haul being five goals against Adelaide in Round 4.
Against West Coast, he will play his 16th game, which brings him equal with De Goey (in 2015) for the most games in a season for the No. 35 since the club’s policy change.
DAICS ALMOST DITCHED 35
COLLINGWOOD great Peter Daicos has revealed how close he came to switching out of the No. 35 jumper — which he went on to make famous — early in his career.
Just months after playing in the 1981 Grand Final in what was his third senior season, Daicos went to the club and asked to replace the retiring Ron Wearmouth in the No.5.
“I liked the way Ronnie went about it and I told the club I wanted to shave the three off the 35 jumper and make it five,” Daicos said. “But they wouldn’t let me do it.”
The club ended up giving the No. 5 jumper to Geelong recruit Tom Floyd, who went on to play 14 games across two seasons.
“I didn’t talk to Tom for a while,” Daicos joked. “But I’m glad now I stayed in No. 35.”
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