COLLINGWOOD coach Craig McRae has lauded the performances produced by Nick and Josh Daicos on Friday night, just a day after the funeral of their late grandfather.
The brothers missed Collingwood's captain's run at the AIA Centre on Thursday, but put an emotional week behind them to pay tribute to the father of Magpies icon Peter in stunning fashion at the MCG.
After delivering one of the finest debut seasons in AFL history, Nick made a fast start to his second season, amassing 35 disposals at 91.4 per cent efficiency, 579 metres gained and nine score involvements off half-back.
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Josh finished with 27 touches, 469 metres gained and nine score involvements playing on a wing, after being named in the All-Australian squad last year.
Before the pair departed the playing surface after the 22-point win over Geelong, Nick and Josh pulled rose petals out of the soles of their boots and left them to rest in the centre of the MCG.
"It makes me a bit emotional because it means a lot to us," McRae said in his post-game press conference on Friday night.
"We want to look after our own. Family first. That's our approach to it.
"They went to the funeral yesterday, missed the captain's run.
"I met with them on Wednesday afternoon to go through what the game is all about, but we are human beings.
"They are two of our most important players, young men we want to put our arms around. To the Daicos family, we send our best wishes."
New signing Bobby Hill made an instant impression in front of 86,595 people on the opening Friday night of the season, banking his best showing yet at AFL level in his first senior game since recovering from testicular cancer last year.
The 22-year-old kicked three goals – the equal-most on the ground with Jordan De Goey – from 10 disposals and seven marks to play a key role in ending the reigning premiers' 16-game winning streak.
"I just love Bobby's smile. He just walks into our place and he lights us up. It is good to see our players happy, whether it's Bobby or whoever in our environment with a smile," McRae said.
"He looks like a really hungry young man looking to make his mark. He is only in the early stages of his career.
"I knew he was going to light some stuff up at some stage – he almost took mark of the year – because he does it at training. Just before the game I said, 'Be Bobby at training, because that's pretty exciting'."
