Collingwood midfielder Josh Daicos has been awarded his first E.W. Copeland Trophy at Crown Melbourne this evening.
After a career-best season, the 24-year-old finished the night with a total of 301 votes after taking part in all 26 games for the Magpies this year.
Drafted to Collingwood as a father-son selection in the 2016 AFL National Draft, Daicos has gone on to play 103 games and booted 57 goals in the black-and-white stripes.
In his seventh season as a Pie, Daicos not only achieved a career-high 38 disposals against Geelong in Round 22 but was also awarded his first All-Australian blazer last month.
In Collingwood’s Round 24 match against Essendon, Daicos celebrated a milestone 100 games.
Second place for the award was shared by Nick Daicos and Brayden Maynard who both finished the count with 287 votes.
The youngest Daicos finished the season averaging second-most disposals in the league (31) and placed third in this year’s Brownlow Medal count with 28 votes.
Hard-hitting defender, Maynard, averaged 5.7 intercept possessions along with 3.6 rebound 50s this season. Maynard was also presented with the Darren Millane Memorial Trophy for the best clubman for the second year in a row.
Rounding out the top five was first-year Magpie Tom Mitchell (283) and former Collingwood Captain Scott Pendlebury (282).
Pendlebury – who in Round 17 breaking the VFL/AFL record for most career disposals (9657) – has now finished in the top five of the Copeland in the last 15 of his 18 seasons in the black-and-white.
The E.W Copeland Trophy was one of three best and fairest awards presented on the night with the VFL Best and Fairest Award presented to the Captain Campbell Hustwaite and the VWFL Brendan Stroud Medal awarded to Will Crooks.
With a total of 47 goals this season, Brody Mihocek was crowned the Gordon Coventry Award as the Club’s leading goal kicker for the fifth consecutive occasion.
In his debut season, Jakob Ryan was presented with the Harry Collier Trophy for the Best First Year Player, while Beau McCreery was awarded the Gavin Brown Award for defensive pressure for the second occasion.
Last year’s E.W Copeland Trophy winner Jack Crisp was presented with the Bob Rose Award for the best player in the finals.
Sweet 16! Secure your official 2023 Premiership Memorabilia.
2023 E.W Copeland Trophy Top 10:
- Josh Daicos (301)
2. Nick Daicos and Brayden Maynard (287)
4. Tom Mitchell (283)
5. Scott Pendlebury (282)
6. Issac Quaynor (267)
7. Jack Crisp (258)
8. Brody Mihocek (254)
9. Darcy Moore (253)
10. Jordan De Goey (249)
Other Award Winners:
Gordon Coventry Award - Leading Goal Kicker – Brody Mihocek
Harry Collier Trophy - Best First Year Player – Jakob Ryan
Darren Millane Memorial Trophy - Best Clubman – Brayden Maynard
Gavin Brown Award - Defensive Pressure – Beau McCreery
Bob Rose Award - Best Player In Finals – Jack Crisp
Simon Prestigiacomo Side-By-Side Award – Josh Fraser
Jack Hellier Award – (Best VFL Clubman) - Lachlan Tardrew
Joseph Wren Trophy – (VFL Best & Fairest) - Campbell Hustwaite
Other Collingwood 2023 Best and Fairest Awards
VFLW Best and Fairest Award: Jess Bates
Super Netball Best and Fairest Award: Jodi-Ann Ward
VWFL Best and Fairest Award: Will Crooks
Reclink Best and Fairest Award: Jayden Short and Tamara Lovett
