In 2015, Collingwood fan Damian Balassone compiled his definitive list of Peter Daicos' top 35 goals.

To mark the great man's 57th birthday in 2018, Balassone returns with Part Two.

This list, filed in chronological order, is a must read.

A big thank you to Damian and the Footy Almanac team for allowing Collingwood Media to reproduce his work once more.

Peter Daicos: 35 more
His Greatest goals (Part 2)
Damian Balassone

Every Peter Daicos goal was a work of art, the perfect culmination to a passage of play that would send Collingwood fans into rapture. When trying to select the best Daicos goals (from a field of 549 entries) we are spoilt for choice. In an earlier piece I set out to select the best 35. Naturally there were many miraculous snaps that did not make the cut (particularly from the mid to late 80s). And so, for the purposes of completion, here are 35 more selections. But words can only say so much – the videos ‘Daicos Magic’ and ‘Hot Shots’ are great, but I think a DVD package of EVERY Daicos snap is long overdue.

In 1979 Daicos made a promising debut against the Saints with 26 possessions in a lazy 178-point victory (the biggest winning margin in VFL history at the time). Ironically, Daicos’ first kick in league footy was a shot at goal that landed out of bounce on the full and he went on to record four behinds for the afternoon (so much for bad omens). In his second game at VFL Park the following week, Daicos finally managed to snag the first goal of his career. Unfortunately, I have no recollection, nor can find any video footage, of this goal, so we start this collection in 1980.

1. 1980 Round 22 vs Melbourne, MCG
In a game otherwise remembered for Carl Ditterich’s fiery farewell, Daicos under close attention paddles the Sherrin the opposite direction of goal, falls to the ground, gathers the loose ball, recovers to his feet, turns around and snaps truly.

2. 1980 Preliminary Final vs Geelong, VFL Park
An important goal in a tight encounter after some great work from Tony Shaw. Not a hard kick by any stretch, but cool as a cucumber under pressure. Daicos also takes a rare hanger (over Malcolm Reed) in the tense final quarter. The Pies hang on by four points.

3. 1981 Round 6 vs Carlton, Princes Park
A match winning seven goal haul on opponents such as Bruce Doull and Rod Austin. The best of these goals involves a lovely piece of crumbing after a fumble from Geoff Southby. At this early stage of the season, Daicos has effectively booted 25 goals from just four games (remembering he missed Round 4 with injury and was injured early in the Round 5 clash against Melbourne).

4-11. 1981 State of Origin Victoria vs Tasmania, North Hobart Oval
Victoria’s prodigious score of 31.20.206 included eight goals straight from the boot of the Marvel in his first appearance for the Big Vic. Footage of this game no longer exists, but for the purposes of completion we include all eight goals here for you to imagine. I’m sure the Tasmanian defence, and the 6,349 Hobartians in attendance, will not forget this sublime exhibition of crumbing in the wet.

12. 1981 Round 16 vs Carlton, Victoria Park
Three goals in four minutes to get the Pies back in the game (after trailing by 20 points at half-time), the best of which comes after a delightful sidestep (and some nice shepherding from Ray Shaw to fend off the approaching Ken Hunter) before snapping truly at the Yarra Falls end. The Pies hang on for a gutsy one point victory.

13 1981 Preliminary Final vs Geelong, VFL Park
In addition to his match winning goal in the last minute, there was also a lovely piece of crumbing in the 2nd quarter from just outside the goal square.

14. 1983 Round 7 vs Footscray at the Western Oval
A set shot from the right boundary about 55 metres out at the Gubby Allen end. Daicos plays on, baulks the man on the mark, bounces once, baulks another Dogs defender, then sets sail from about 40 metres. The goal ultimately proves to be a difference in a gritty six point win at a typically windy Western Oval.

15. 1983 Round 22 vs St Kilda, Victoria Park
A seven goal haul with majors from all pockets and flanks as per usual. Daicos boots 13 goals in his two games against the Saints in an otherwise disappointing 1983. The playboy Mike Richardson also boots seven goals in this game.

16 1984 Round 2 vs St Kilda, Victoria Park
A perfectly balanced left foot snap from the left boundary pocket at the Yarra Falls end.

17-18. 1984 Round 7 vs Geelong, Kardinia Park
Two memorable snaps at the outer end. Firstly following a baulk, and secondly following some classic front and centre roving off the pack. Daicos kicks five for the afternoon as the Pies get the job done at the Cattery.

19. 1984 State of Origin Victoria vs. South Australia, Football Park
In a classic game best remembered for Kernahan kicking ten goals, Daicos boots three classy goals which help get the Vics over the line by four points. The best of these goals comes in the third quarter after a desperate mark on the boundary line. Daicos proceeds to baulk the man on the mark (future teammate Grant Fielke) touch the ball on the slippery surface, and then kick truly in front of 52,719 parochial South Australians.

20. 1985 Round 3 vs Melbourne, Victoria Park
A left foot snap from the left boundary at the Yarra Falls end, almost identical to the 1984 snap against St Kilda (see no. 16 above). Has there ever been a more accurate shot for goal on the opposite foot than Peter Daicos? Jason Akermanis, Darren Jarman and Eddie Betts are all in the discussion, but I’m not sure any of that trio did it/do it as regularly as Daicos.

21. 1985 Round 5 vs Sydney, Victoria Park
A six goal haul, the best of which sees Daicos dodge through the hapless Sydney defence in the goal square at the Sherrin Stand end.

22. 1985 Round 2 vs Geelong, Kardinia Park
A plethora of left foot snaps at the outer end. Take your pick. Daics had an imposing record at Kardinia Park in the mid-80s, with back-to-back bags of five goals at the ground.

23. 1985 Round 6 vs Richmond, VFL Park
Several bounces, followed by a baulk and goal at the scoreboard end, in an otherwise forgettable day for the Pies. Daicos injuries his knee the following week against Fitzroy and misses a year of football.

24. 1986 Round 6 vs Melbourne, MCG
The comeback game after the knee reconstruction. In the first term, Daicos sells the candy, swerves to the right and then kicks truly from about 45 metres. The Marvel is back.

25. 1986 Round 7 vs Carlton, MCG
In a game otherwise remembered as the last time Collingwood and Carlton played at Victoria Park, Daicos in a familiar position hard up against the boundary line in front of the Social Club, coolly slots a goal with a pinpoint drop punt.

26-27. 1986 Round 13 vs Sydney Victoria Park
Two beauties at the Sherrin Stand end. Firstly over the shoulder from about 15 metres out, and secondly when Daicos gathers the ball about 60 metres out, sells the dummy, bounces once and then kicks truly from about 48 metres out. Unfortunately, after some questionable umpiring decisions in the last term, the Pies go down by a point, but the good news is that Daicos, with 25 possessions and three Brownlow votes, is returning to his best.

28. 1986 Round 15 vs Geelong, Kardinia Park
Another left foot goal on the run after a wonderful handball from Ron McKeown. Daicos with 24 touches and two goals continues his fine form, as the Pies record their third successive win at the Cattery.

29. 1987 Round 14 vs Sydney, SCG
The comeback game after the foot stress fractures. Typical left foot snap over the shoulder. After holding a ten point lead at the last change, the Pies crumble in the last quarter in what is turning into a horror reason for the club. The return of Daicos is a ray of light.

30. 1988 Round 14 vs Carlton, MCG
A beautiful piece of crumbing at the Punt Road after a spilt Brian Taylor marking attempt. This game is remembered for Craig Starcevich kicking three goals in time-on to get the Pies over the line. (Ironically, earlier in the game Starcevich had the mark of the year taken on his head by Silvagni.) With 30 possessions, Daicos is awarded two Brownlow votes. In his three outings against the Blues in 1988, Daicos gathers 91 possessions.

31. 1989 Round 4 vs St Kilda, Victoria Park
In front of the Social Club, feigns to kick on the right, gets back onto the left and slots it.  A day out for Peter the Great with 37 possessions and three Brownlow votes (he had amassed a career high 39 possessions the previous week against the Bears). This game is also remembered for a comical Brian Taylor tantrum directed at St Kilda full-back Steve Turner (mind you, BT also managed nine goals for the afternoon).

32. 1989 Round 6 vs Melbourne, Victoria Park
A long bomb spills off the pack straight into the hands of Daicos who snaps hurriedly from about 30 metres out. The dribbling ball defies logic, somehow dancing around Demon defender Tony Campbell who was seemingly guarding the goalsquare. After a tight first half, the Pies go on to record a ten goal win against the Dees – their first against Melbourne for three years.

33. 1989 Round 13 vs Nth Melbourne, Victoria Park
A torpedo at the Yarra Falls end (a taste of things to come for 1990-92). Daicos polls three Brownlow votes as the Pies steamroll the Roos. Daicos has 12 Brownlow votes after just 13 rounds, though injury and form will hinder his second half of the year.

34. 1992 Round 20 vs Melbourne, Victoria Park
A disallowed goal late in the game from the tight in the pocket, in front of the Social Club, that would have put Collingwood back in front. The disallowed goal ultimately costs the Pies top spot in 1992, although Allen Jakovich with seven goals also has a say in the matter.

35. 1993 Round 3 vs Essendon, MCG
A pack is clustered around the ball in the goalsquare at the Punt Road end. Daicos somehow extracts the ball out of the pack, finds some space and snaps over his shoulder. ‘Champion’ utters commentator Sandy Roberts, who surely could not have known that he was calling the very last goal of Daicos’ career.