Nick Daicos has been ruled out of Collingwood’s Thursday night blockbuster against the Brisbane Lions in a devastating blow for the Pies.
Ahead of the contest at the Gabba, all eyes were locked in on Daicos as he underwent a fitness test.
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The 23-year-old was seen slowly jogging his way across the turf with a bandage wrapped around his right calf.
Daicos suffered a corkie last week and was limited in the build up to the preliminary final rematch.
Footage of him running around the Gabba raised eyebrows with Collingwood coach Craig McRae admitting he was uncertain if he would take his place in the team.
“If he was a horse you wouldn’t back him. He had some treatment. He has to get through this warm up but we will give him one last chance,” McRae told Fox Footy.
Around 15 minutes before the opening bounce, Daicos was officially withdrawn from the contest with Ed Allan coming in.
“It’s a huge out – all eyes were on Nick Daicos in the warm up,” Ben Dixon said from the Gabba.
“Was really struggling to run, didn’t look well at all.
“It’s a bit strange they’d bring him up here on a Thursday night. Still no improvement in his ability to run.”
Before he was withdrawn from the team list, AFL greats Jason Dunstall and David King believed if he was to play he’d be spending more time deep in the forward line.
“He wouldn’t be out there doing the warm up if there was a dangerous risk involved in this,” Jason Dunstall said.
“What it might do is it might mean more minutes at full forward – he’s a threat down there,’ David King added.
“He doesn’t look right.”
“He’s certainly not hitting top speed,” Dunstall said.
“This would be a disaster if he doesn’t take his spot.”
Jon Ralph added: “If you rush him (Daicos) and all of a sudden he’s out for four to six weeks, that would be catastrophic.”
