Collingwood young gun Nick Daicos has made a stunning revelation about his cherished guernsey number ahead of next year's highly anticipated State of Origin match between Victoria and Western Australia.
Jumper Number Dilemma for Victorian Stars
The 22-year-old midfield sensation confirmed he would willingly hand over his prized No.35 jumper should he line up alongside Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield in the star-studded fixture scheduled for February 14 at Optus Stadium.
Daicos finds himself in a unique position where both he and Dangerfield lay claim to the same number. The Collingwood prodigy has worn No.35 in 95 appearances across his four seasons with the Magpies, while Dangerfield has sported the digits in 206 games for Geelong after previously wearing No.32 during his Adelaide days.
"We'll have to wait and see, I think Danger obviously gets first dibs so I might have to work out whether I take the No.3 or No.5," Daicos told reporters on Tuesday.
"We'll have to work out how we do it but I think Danger deserves it."
Star-Studded Victorian Squad Takes Shape
Daicos finds himself in elite company as part of Victoria's initial selections, joining Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli, Gold Coast bull Matt Rowell, Port Adelaide dynamo Zak Butters and Geelong forward Jeremy Cameron in what promises to be a spectacular showcase of football talent.
The number 35 holds special significance at Collingwood, where Daicos's father Peter wore it in 250 games for the club, adding an emotional layer to the potential number swap.
Daicos expressed particular excitement about reuniting with former schoolmate Matt Rowell and hopes Gold Coast skipper Noah Anderson will also earn selection, alongside his older brother Josh Daicos.
"Even just to learn a few things from some of the best players around the league and some of the players you idolise in this league and come up against is something that will be very cool," he said.
No Holding Back in Pre-Season Showdown
With tickets for the match going on sale Tuesday, Daicos made it clear that players won't be taking it easy despite the game falling just two weeks before the start of the AFL home and away season.
"It's a huge honour to play for Victoria. We want to do them proud. We want to get the win," Daicos declared.
"You're also two weeks out from starting your own season, so I don't think anyone will be running around at half speed. I think it's going to be quite full-on, and I'm excited for that."
"We're two weeks out from starting our AFL season for our individual clubs, and we want to be prepared for that too. So I think it will be full noise."
Western Australia will counter with their own arsenal of stars, including Sydney speedster Chad Warner, Carlton captain Patrick Cripps, Richmond excitement machine Shai Bolton, Bulldogs key forward Aaron Naughton and Eagles defender Tom Barrass.
Magpies Learning from Preliminary Final Heartbreak
Looking beyond the State of Origin clash, Daicos revealed Collingwood intends to draw inspiration from their 2022 preliminary final disappointment, which they transformed into a premiership the following year.
The Magpies suffered a preliminary final exit this season against eventual premiers Brisbane, mirroring their 2022 loss to Sydney before bouncing back to claim the 2023 flag.
"Excited for next year, obviously pretty disappointed with the way our season ended," Daicos admitted.
"I think any time going into the season, you'll take a home prelim final, but unfortunately, couldn't make the most of it."
"So we're pretty focused on getting better and getting back there next year and going a couple steps further."
Daicos reflected on the mindset that propelled Collingwood from preliminary final heartbreak to premiership glory, suggesting the Magpies could replicate that formula heading into the 2026 season.
The State of Origin selection means Daicos will experience a different pre-season preparation as he balances Collingwood's training demands with representing Victoria in what promises to be one of the most watched pre-season fixtures in recent memory.
