At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, stakes were raised as Marcus Windhager went to battle with Nick Daicos. Boy did they scrap like junkyard dogs in an epic tagging duel in the third term of their recent AFL showdown. A selection of approximately 120 minutes of constant Windhager chasing Daicos around. This predatory conduct led to the first conviction for hitting with a stick, treated as willful, low impact, high body contact, type B conduct.
The other shoe dropped when Windhager’s posturing and theatrics crossed the line to the extent that the match officials noticed. The new farmer’s $1,000 penalty for the first-quarter incident is still pending. If he wants to plead guilty now, he can still choose the higher fine of $6,250. The fallout from that game has led to a deep and ongoing debate among players and coaches about whether the league does enough to officiate off-the-ball plays.
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said he would be writing to the AFL to ask for clarification. He just wants to defend the free kicks that are called against his team when those things happen. This statement is indicative of an increasing frustration by clubs at the way that non-ball actions are being sanctioned during games.
Heavily tagged as the competition’s second-biggest draw-card behind his brother’s twin, Nick Daicos showcased his resolve and talent by bolting up with 30 disposals and a goal. His performance led to high praise from former player Kane Cornes who later rebutted negativity held toward Daicos by critics doubting his physicality. What impressed Cornes most besides Daicos’ remarkable impact on the game was the extraordinary effort that Daicos put in all match.
“Any of the clowns out there that want to question his toughness on social media, go back and watch the game.” – Kane Cornes
Cornes further highlighted a moment in the game that exemplified Daicos’ tenacity, stating, “Not many players are tagged today, and he still has 30, kicks a goal, and does that brutal stuff in crunch times.” He immediately went to his best gut-busting run that he’d seen this year, and that was one on Daicos.
The incident between Windhager and Daicos underscores the physical nature of AFL and the tactical decisions teams make regarding player matchups. While Windhager’s approach aimed to neutralize one of Collingwood’s key players, it has resulted in significant disciplinary actions and raised broader questions about officiating standards.
