Eddie McGuire calls on the AFL to adopt a taunting rule after Nick Daicos treatment

Eddie McGuire was been called out by footy fans over his hypocritical remarks after he urged the AFL to make a rule change.

MELBOURNE. 06/05/2023. AFL. Round 8. Collingwood vs Sydney at the MCG. Swans players get stuck into Nick Daicos of the Magpies after a Ryan Clarke 1st qtr goal . Pic: Michael Klein

Former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has called for the AFL to add a rule change immediately.

The media giant wasn’t happy with what he saw unfold on Sunday when Collingwood went up against the Sydney Swans at the MCG.

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Nick Daicos, 20, was targeted relentlessly by Swans players as they looked to get under his skin and throw him off his game.

The second year player has blown the league away with his scintillating start to the season which has seen him become the outright Brownlow Medal favourite.

Swans players went after Daicos at every opportunity with things boiling over when Ryan Clarke kicked Sydney’s opening goal of the game.

McGuire is imploring the league to bring in a taunting rule that would stop players from bumping and niggling opponents, stating that if it occurs the umpires should be awarding a free kick and a 50m penalty.

“This sort of stuff, we‘ve got to get this out of the game,” McGuire said on Channel 9’s Footy Classified on Wednesday night.

“This was disgraceful on the weekend, we’re sick of it, you can‘t come back at people.

“And in fact, you wouldn‘t believe it, Josh Daicos got a $1,000 fine for protecting his brother from being attacked by five Swans.

“Collingwood players shouldn‘t have been fined. There should be a 50m penalty and a free kick.

“There’s no sportsmanship, it‘s pure bullying, it’s a waste of time.”

Swans players went all out. Pic: Michael Klein

McGuire said the AFL should follow in the footsteps of the NFL which imposed a taunting rule ahead of the 2022 season.

“Why don‘t we bring it in and clean the game up so that we don’t get cowards and duds and all the other idiots running up and getting in the faces of players after they’ve missed a goal, trying to humiliate them?” McGuire asked.

“Play the game like men – out.”

"We've got to get this out of the game. This was disgraceful"

Why Eddie McGuire believes the league needs to bring in a taunting rule.#9FootyClassified | @Channel9pic.twitter.com/IdX4rFpS80

— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) May 10, 2023

Footy fans however were quick to point out that McGuire was only bringing this up because it was a Collingwood player who was targeted.

The video of McGuire calling on the league to implement the new rule was flooded with fans posting clips and photos of times when Pies players were the ones dishing it out.

Interestingly none of these moments made it into the montage used for McGuire’s appeal to bring in a taunting rule.

"Things getting out of hand here now" 👊

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— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) March 31, 2023

You mean like when Howe, Moore, and Hoskin Elliott got into Henry when he missed the goal earlier in the year? Let go of it Eddie pic.twitter.com/Q5m8znpyoW

— Luke (@Lukethow) May 10, 2023

Daicos however wasn’t fazed by the close attention paid to him by the Swans players, saying those moments only help the Pies.

“We love it when I get a tag,” he said after the game.

“We think we can manipulate the opposition, get a one-versus-none, so it’s a good thing for us.

“I’ve always got my teammates’ support, which I love. There was plenty of banter, but all good fun.”

Daicos still managed to finish the match with 25 disposals as the Pies dominated the Swans in the second half to run away with a 29-point victory.

Originally published as Eddie McGuire calls on the AFL to adopt a taunting rule after Nick Daicos treatment