Nick Daicos cleared to play in 2023 AFL Grand Final after Brent Daniels tackle

Collingwood star Nick Daicos can breathe a sigh of relief after his dangerous tackle on a GWS rival was cleared by the match review.

Nick Daicos could be in trouble for this tackle on Brent Daniels. Photo: Seven

Collingwood star Nick Daicos has avoided the hot water and will be free to take his place in the 2023 AFL Grand Final.

Daicos came under the microscope after a hard tackle on GWS’ Brent Daniels midway through the final term of Friday’s thrilling preliminary final win.

Daniels had looked to have mostly wriggled away from Collingwood’s Scott Pendlebury when Daicos come into the contest from behind, with Pendlebury still holding Daniels’ arm behind him.

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With his arms pinned, Daniels’ head hit the ground, and he was sent for a head injury assessment, itself the centre of some controversy.

Seven’s Tom Browne said he expected the tackle to be looked at by the Match Review Officer, but that he thought Daicos would escape penalty.

“The other thing that is going to be assessed thoroughly is Nick Daicos’s tackle,” Browne said.

“I think Scott Pendlebury exacerbated that motion, so I don’t think Nick will be in trouble, but it certainly will be a talking point.

“Collingwood fans will be sweating on that slightly given there’s was a bump of the head. Pendlebury was involved in the sequence. Pendlebury had one of the arms pinned. I don’t think it’s Nick Daicos’s exclusive problem.”

On Saturday the AFL match review officially cleared Daicos with no charges being laid from the clash.

Brent Daniels had to be sent for a head impact assessment after this hit from Nick Daicos. Photo: Seven

Daniels passed his head injury assessment, but did not return to the game.

The Giants will seek clarification from the AFL over the incident, believing that there was no need for Daniels to undergo the assessment.

An independent AFL doctor oversees the decision to remove players for head impact assessments.

GWS coach Adam Kingsley said he was disappointed to lose Daniels in the dying minutes of the game given his running ability.

“(I was) really disappointed to lose Brent Daniels for a HIA assessment that he passed comfortably in the last five minutes of the game, which hurt us around the ball with a bit of leg speed, a bit of overlap run, so that’s extremely disappointing,” he said.

“I haven’t seen the incident, but from what I’m led to believe, it didn’t warrant having to take him off the field to assess it.

“Yeah, I’m sure we will (contact the AFL for clarification).”

Does Daicos have anything to worry about here?

Daniels Passed the HIA.. but also seen less given suspensions.

I doubt he goes.. but it’s a nervous 24 hours I’m sure.

#AFLPiesGiantspic.twitter.com/KlSXY5cQKF

— Sports 💭 (@SportTalkAUS) September 22, 2023

Daniels had 19 disposals with 14 kicks and six score involvements before he was removed from the game.

It wasn’t the only moment of controversy for Daicos, with an apparent high tackle on Toby Greene sending social media into a frenzy for the lack of free kick – Greene would have had a free kick from around 50m out with a chance to bring the game back to level pegging.

The potential loss of Daicos for the Grand Final would be huge for Collingwood, who were boosted in the preliminary final on his return, having learned to live without the young star after a six-week lay-off from a knee injury.

For Daicos to miss a match, it would have to be found that the sling tackle and its impact was either careless conduct of medium impact, or intentional conduct.

Nick Daicos could be in hot water for this tackle on Brent Daniels. Photo: Seven

Any potential suspension however, would not impact Daicos’ chances of winning a Brownlow, as the rule that states suspended players are ineligible to win the award is limited to suspensions incurred during the home-and-away season.

Daicos remains one of the hot favourites to win the prestigious award.

If he pulls it off on September 25, he will be the youngest winner since Gavin Wanganeen in 1993, and the least experienced since Tony Liberatore in 1990.

Originally published as Nick Daicos cleared to play in 2023 AFL Grand Final after Brent Daniels tackle