We’ve all marvelled at Nick Daicos this year: the poise, the assurance, the skills, the numbers, the maturity, the footy smarts. And now he’s deservedly added the NAB Rising Star to his growing list of plaudits (which probably also should also have included a spot in the All-Australian squad).

It’s led many observers to label it one of the greatest debut seasons on record. And we’re certainly not going to argue with that.

But where does it stack up against other Magpie rookie campaigns?

Excluding those who had played senior football elsewhere (such as Phil Carman, Mark Williams & Co), there are a few others that are certainly worth mentioning.

2018 – Jaidyn Stephenson

It’s easy to forget, given what’s happened since, but Stevo’s first season in the AFL was seriously impressive. He played all 26 games available and kicked 38 goals, playing mostly as a small forward/high half-forward, and of course won the Rising Star.

1983 – Phillip Walsh

Walsh stunned the footy world with a superb debut season in 1983, playing 22 games, averaging just over 20 disposals a game from the wing and finishing third in the Copeland (in an admittedly average team), as well as kicking one of the goals of the year. We thought we’d found a star for the next decade. Instead he left for Richmond at the end of that year, a victim of the crazy recruiting wars that went on between us and the Tigers. And he was arguably never the same player again.

1966 – Wayne Richardson

After being forced to sit out of footy for a year due to a transfer dispute, Wayne made up for lost time with a brilliant first season in which he played 16 games, kicked 37 goals and averaged 23 disposals per game as a forward pocket/rover. He also finished fourth in the Copeland. It was a sign of the stellar career to come.

1966 – Len Thompson

Technically this wasn’t Len’s first season – he’d played one game in 1965. But he would still have qualified for a Rising Star nomination. He played 19 games in 1966 and finished third in the Copeland, just ahead of Wayne Richardson. The two would be stars for the next decade.

1963 – Terry Waters

Played 17 games, kicked 50 goals – including five on debut – and finished third in the Copeland. A hell of a way to start your career.

There are others who deserve honourable mentions, too. Sav Rocca, with his 29 goals from just 10 games in 1992. Ricky Barham thrilled us all with his speed and goalkicking nous from a wing in 1977. And Ken Smale topped the goalkicking in his first year with 47 goals in 1955.

But if we’re being serious about comparing the great rookie seasons by Collingwood players then we need to take a quick trip back to 1937. 

Because that’s when Des Fothergill burst onto the VFL scene with a staggering debut season. For a start, he had to force his way into a side that had just won back-to-back flags. He did that, playing 15 games and kicking 28 goals in a team that went all the way to another Grand Final. He then won the Copeland too, beating out legendary names such as Harry and Albert Collier, Gordon Coventry, Jack Regan, Phonse Kyne, Marcus Whelan and Alby Pannam.

Oh yes, and he was only 16.

That’s right: Fother came into a Premiership team at 16 and won the Copeland, despite missing six games. Now that is a campaign that takes some beating. (He also followed it up with two more Copelands and a Brownlow in the next three seasons – fair to say that he could play a bit).

Mind you, who’s to say where Nick will finish in the Copeland? Or how he – and the team – will fare in September? And Fother never had to deal with the scrutiny that followed Nick throughout this extraordinary campaign.

Whichever way you look at it, Nick Daicos’ first year in League football has been up there with the very best in Magpie history. And there is still more to come.

And while we’re on the subject of the NAB Rising Star, a massive shoutout to Jack Ginnivan. You probably haven’t heard or read much about Jack this year, but he’s quietly managed to put together an impressive season himself, ending with 36 goals in the home and away season and finishing fourth in the Rising Star voting. Compare that with Stevo’s Rising Star winning 2018 season – 34 goals in home-and-away matches – and it stacks up very nicely indeed.