Nick Daicos injury flips AFL’s Brownlow Medal race on its head

The race to win the AFL’s Brownlow Medal has been flipped on its head after a cruel injury to Nick Daicos opened the door for rivals.

Matthew Sullivan

2 min read

August 7, 2023 - 8:56AM

Bont is new Brownlow favourite after Nick Daicos' injury.

Nick Daicos’ cruel injury has thrown the Brownlow Medal race wide open, as a new favourite has rocketed into contention to win the AFL’s highest individual honour.

Daicos has been the red hot favourite for the Brownlow since the early rounds of the season and has been a near unbackable favourite after winning best on ground medals on Anzac Day and in Collingwood’s win over the Western Bulldogs.

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But the 20-year-old has been ruled out of action for six weeks after suffering a hairline fracture in his right knee join in Collingwood’s shock loss to Hawthorn on Saturday.

It’s a brutal blow for the Magpies, who have lost their past two games and face reigning premiers Geelong on Friday night.

Daicos will miss the three remaining home and away games as well as the first two weeks of the finals series, with a preliminary final return most likely if Collingwood make it that far.

Two-time premiership player David King told Fox Footy’s First Crack: “I’ve been 1A on the Collingwood bus and Nick Daicos bus.

“This guy, in all likelihood, has probably lost the Brownlow as late as Round 21 and they (Collingwood) have lost their No. 1 trump card.

A knee injury could rob Nick Daicos of the Brownlow Medal. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Daicos (back, second left) is set to miss six weeks. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“Logic says to me they’ll fight hard to finish top. If they can somehow find that and things open up for them and they don’t have to leave the MCG that’d be great. (But) I really can’t see them winning it from here now.”

Daicos had been on track to become the youngest Brownlow medallist since a 21-year-old Chris Judd won the award in 2004.

But even Judd was in third season. Daicos is just in his second year in the AFL.

His odds to take home the Brownlow were under $2 midway through the season but have now ballooned out to $6 after the news of his injury.

Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli has now rocketed into favouritism to win the Brownlow at $2 ahead of Melbourne’s Christian Petracca ($2.75).

Bontempelli finished second in the 2021 Brownlow count by one vote to Port Adelaide’s Ollie Wines.

Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli is the new Brownlow Medal favourite. Photo by Michael Klein.

He likely picked up another maximum three votes in the Bulldogs’ win over Richmond on Friday night and has three more games to maximise his chances of chasing down Daicos.

Two of those games are against struggling teams Hawthorn and West Coast.

Daicos could well still win the Brownlow if he has an assailable lead in the votes, but Hawks youngster Finn Maginness tagged him out of the weekend’s game to give the chasing pack a sniff.

The Brownlow Medal will be held on Monday September 25 in the week of the AFL Grand Final.

Brownlow Medal odds (Sportsbet)

Marcus Bontempelli $2

Christian Petracca $2.75

Nick Daicos $6

Zak Butters $18

Jordan Dawson $21

Tim Taranto $21

Lachie Neale $26