Craig McRae has lauded Nick Daicos' "remarkable" influence after another stunning individual performance helped Collingwood keep their troubled AFL premiership defence alive with a 26-point win over Richmond.
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Daicos was outstanding as the Magpies snapped a four-match losing streak with a vital 14.9 (93) to 9.13 (67) victory at the MCG on Sunday.
The Brownlow Medal contender tallied an equal career-high 42 disposals, 18 contested possessions, 12 score involvements and 12 clearances as the best player on the ground.
Collingwood's win lifted their record to 9-8-2 and kept them within reach of the top eight ahead of a tough run home, with games against Carlton, Sydney, the Brisbane Lions and Melbourne to come.
It followed a horror 66-point defeat to Hawthorn, after which McRae had said his team had been on the verge of "playing like losers".
The premiership coach was pleased with the response, especially from young leader Daicos.
"We came here not wanting to make a statement but somewhat make amends or, for our fans in particular, show up," McRae said.
"You know, turn up and show the fans that that's not us.
"Nick had 18 (touches) in the first quarter, so that's a fair way to say, 'That's not us and this is where we're going'.
"He's a remarkable young man that just has this ability to know what we need when we need it."
There was star power missing from both sides after close friends Jordan De Goey (groin) and Dustin Martin (back) were ruled out in the days leading up to the clash.
Daicos stepped into the breach with a personal best 18 disposals, 10 contested possessions, seven score involvements and five clearances in a dominant opening term.
Collingwood's superior ball movement and efficiency in attack led to a 6.2 to 2.2 advantage at quarter time, and they took a stranglehold on the contest when the first three goals of the second half blew the margin out beyond 40 points.
Richmond coach Adem Yze used Liam Baker and young forward Seth Campbell on Daicos, but the Pies' playmaker still had a huge influence.
"That's on me," Yze said.
"We really backed our mids and without 'Nank' (No.1 ruckman Toby Nankervis) in the team we didn't want to get towed around with tagging at the start.
"We wanted to assess what was going on and give our midfielders an opportunity ... but Daicos just dominated the game so we had to change that.
"Our work rate and energy in the back three quarters were at the level that we (wanted) but to give up six goals (in the first quarter) was just too many."
Daicos led a strong Collingwood midfield alongside Scott Pendlebury (22 disposals), Josh Daicos (32), John Noble (21) and Jack Bytel (25).
Pendlebury was a tactical substitution at three-quarter time ahead of his 400th AFL game against the Blues next week, being replaced by Lachie Sullivan.
Dan McStay kicked three goals in his second game back from injury, with Lachie Schultz, Will Hoskin-Elliott and Bobby Hill (two each) also snaring multiple majors.
Hill and Jamie Elliott both wowed the 58,342 fans in attendance with trademark high grabs and Darcy Moore was strong in defence.
Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox comprehensively won their duel with an inexperienced Richmond ruck division led by Samson Ryan.
The last-placed Tigers lost Tim Taranto, who eventually succumbed to a first-quarter back injury in the third term, and were well beaten in a sixth consecutive defeat.
Jayden Short (25 disposals), Nick Vlastuin (23), Daniel Rioli (25) and Nathan Broad (26) never stopped trying, while Tom Brown kicked three goals.
Australian Associated Press
