Why no one comes close to Nick Daicos and ‘The Bont’

August 27, 2026 — 11:50am

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In the 2007 preliminary final, Geelong led Collingwood by five points with just seven minutes remaining.

We were premiership favourites, but could not shake the desperate and emerging Magpies as a boundary throw-in happened on our half-forward flank.

Enter Gary Ablett jnr.

He pushed his opponent Nick Maxwell into the oncoming ruckmen, sharked Brad Ottens’ tap at pace, dismissed Guy Richards’ despairing lunge and charged towards the corridor to snap the sealer from just inside 50 metres.

The best player in the game had delivered when the team needed him. All we needed to do as teammates was either get out of his way or, if needed, create a block.

At that moment, Shannon Byrnes – who played in two flags at the Cats – lifted a hand to point towards the goal as Ablett flashed by him. I joined James Kelly in being the first to embrace the humble champion. The sound of 98,002 spectators did not pierce my ears. All I can remember thinking is “How good is this bloke, he has just put us in a grand final” and I wanted to hug him for it.

Which brings me to the heavyweight battle between the two best players in the game when Collingwood’s Nick Daicos and the Western Bulldogs’ Marcus Bontempelli meet in Friday night’s wildcard final with their club’s fortunes resting on........

© The Age