With an elusive Brownlow Medal finally hanging around his neck, Nick Daicos has his heart set on more team success at Collingwood.
Daicos set a new votes record of 47 on Monday night, clinching the game's top individual honour after previously running second in 2025 and 2024 and third in 2023.
The 23-year-old was a premiership player in 2023 but after a wildcard round exit this year, Daicos is desperate for more.
"I watched the boys play in the the prelim on the weekend, and I'm so envious," Daicos said.
"I'm so privileged and grateful to be up here in an individual award. But I watch teams play in a prelim, and I'll watch on Saturday a grand final, and I'm so bloody envious.
"I've been part of a successful team over a few years, but it's something that I know that I've got to grow with others, and I want to take my leadership to another level.
"So, trying to take a few younger boys with me under my arm, and they're pushing me as well, which is nice."
In his speech, Daicos then made it clear he felt Collingwood, who are set to recruit Lachie Neale and Jesse Hogan this off-season, had more to offer.
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"It's been a hell of a ride," Daicos said.
"It's been a really exciting five years and I feel like we're in the window to attack again.
"And we've got some really good youth."
Superstar midfielder Daicos has Collingwood in his veins.
The son of club legend Peter Daicos and younger brother of classy Magpie Josh Daicos was a teenage prodigy but is as lauded for his work ethic as his talent.
"From a young age, I probably had more talent and didn't work as hard," he said.
"I had some chats with Dad and Josh as I grew up, and it was a realisation I wanted to play AFL, and the realisation was that I needed to train harder.
"I walk into the club every day, and I'm immensely grateful to be an AFL footballer, and I think I owe it to the Collingwood Football Club to train with an intensity.
"And I feel like also as a leader at the club, I can't ask the bloke next to me to put his backside on the line and train really hard if I'm not doing it myself. So I feel I try and lead by example."
The 23-year-old was a self-confessed "absolute nuffy" as a child, watching as much football as he could.
But his family drew the line at Daicos coming home in a Carlton guernsey singing the Blues' song.
"I'm not kidding, Dad was treating me like a COVID patient. I was eight years old. I wasn't getting fed. I had to like, isolate," Daicos joked.
"It was a brutal time, so I had to come back to Collingwood."
