Nick Daicos addresses lingering Collingwood drama involving trade rumours and Craig McRae’s best and fairest complaints

Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos has put to bed any hint of a suggestion he could be tempted into a trade move, amid reports rival AFL clubs have asked questions about luring him away.

Daicos, who finished runner-up in the Brownlow Medal for the second straight year, is contracted to the Magpies until the end of 2029.

But that hasn’t stopped rivals making contact with Daicos and his management, while launching audacious bids for the 22-year-old midfield gun.

“I guess it’s just that time of year, isn’t it?” Daicos said on Saturday at Caulfield racecourse.

“I’ll leave all that business with my manager, Robbie D’Orazio, he does a great job.

“He always says to me, ‘if it’s anything serious and I need to let you know, I’ll let you know.’

“He hasn’t let me know as of yet. There’s always movement going on but I just wait to hear from a call from Robbie.”

Pressed on whether Collingwood fans had anything to worry about before Wednesday’s trade deadline, Daicos was adamant.

“I can put that to bed. I don’t think so,” he said.

“As I said, Robbie handles all that stuff and I haven’t heard anything, so it’s just business as usual and I’m contracted.

“I keep putting my effort and energy into the Collingwood football club.”

The Magpies are considering a move for North Melbourne’s Jy Simpkin, who is searching for more midfield time elsewhere after finishing the 2025 season in a wing role.

“That would be awesome,” Daicos said.

“As ‘Fly’ (coach Craig McRae) has said many times, we want to keep improving and become a better football club.

“So any time that you can welcome in a star player from an opposition, you’d jump at that opportunity, and I think the club’s doing their best to try and get him across.

“He’d definitely help us, so that would be great.”

Daicos also addressed the controversy surrounding coach Craig McRae’s comments about Collingwood’s best-and-fairest award, after ruckman Darcy Cameron pipped Daicos to the honour this year.

McRae last week admitted he felt Daicos could have received more votes and said he wanted to “challenge” the process the Magpies have in place.

“Darcy Cameron is one of my good mates and he had a great year,” Daicos said.

“Often I’m the beneficiary of a lot of the work he does in the ruck.

“There was probably a lot of boys that could’ve won it and I’m glad it went Darcy’s way.”