He was one of the best on ground and Collingwood star Nick Daicos made a big impression off it as well when he received his premiership medal on Saturday.
Proud father Peter watched Nick and his brother Josh claim a memorable premiership for the Magpies in their thrilling win over the Brisbane Lions.
But another heart-warming moment was still to come.
As Daicos walked to the stage to receive his premiership medal, he greeted the young boy who was presenting it to him, saying: ‘You all good?’.
Daicos then thanked the youngster for the medal and got the response: ‘You should be very proud.’
‘Thank you so much, I appreciate it,’ Daicos said before roaring to the MCG crowd.
Josh Daicos plants a kiss on the cheek of his brother Nick Daicos as they celebrate the Magpies premiership win over Brisbane
After the game, Josh was quick to sing his brother’s praises.
‘Unbelievable. To be premiership players with all the boys, we’ve dreamt about it for so long. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it,’ he said.
‘So proud of him. His goal is always team success. He wasn’t too fussed about the Brownlow. He moved on pretty quick. Now he’s a premiership player.’
While the spotlight was on firmly on Norm Smith Medal winner Bobby Hill and Daicos, it was also an enormous day for veterans Steele Sidebottom and Scott Pendlebury, who won their second premiership.
![Veterans Steele Sidebottom (front) and Scott Pendlebury (rear) celebrate a goal together as they notched up their second AFL premiership](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/30/10/76009223-12578065-image-a-38_1696064673141.jpg)
Veterans Steele Sidebottom (front) and Scott Pendlebury (rear) celebrate a goal together as they notched up their second AFL premiership
In the MCG furnace on Saturday, Pendlebury and Sidebottom delivered as they have so often in epic careers for their second premierships.
Pendlebury was massive, especially in the frenetic second half, directing his teammates and setting up play.
Significantly, his centre clearance midway through the last quarter ended up with Jordan De Goey, who snapped the goal that put Collingwood back in front.
Sidebottom fittingly kicked the goal two minutes later – a 50-plus metre bomb – that would end up ensuring the win and he was poised all day on a wing.
It was thought the 29C temperature might play to Brisbane’s advantage.
Surely, in Pendleburys’ 383rd game and Sidebottom’s 309th, the two most experienced players on the ground might run out of legs.
Instead, they only became more significant as the game progressed.
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