Nick Daicos is one of the biggest young stars in Australian rules football, and in 2026 the Collingwood midfielder added the Brownlow Medal to an already remarkable list of achievements. Born in Victoria in 2003, Daicos grew up in one of Australian football’s most famous families and followed his father, Peter Daicos, and older brother, Josh Daicos, into the AFL.
Nick has quickly built a reputation of his own at Collingwood. Since making his AFL debut in 2022, he has won the AFL Rising Star, become an AFL premiership player, collected multiple All-Australian selections, won the Leigh Matthews Trophy and other major individual awards, and established himself as one of the competition’s most prominent midfielders.
His breakthrough reached another level in September 2026 when he won his first Brownlow Medal with a record 47 votes, becoming the first Collingwood player to win the award since Dane Swan in 2011.
Nick Daicos Age and Date of Birth
Nick Daicos was born on January 3, 2003, in Victoria, Australia.
He is 23 years old in 2026.
The AFL lists Daicos at 184 centimetres tall. He plays primarily as a midfielder for Collingwood and wears the famous No. 35 guernsey.
Despite his relatively young age, his résumé already compares favorably with much more experienced AFL players.
His rapid progression has been one of the defining stories of the modern Collingwood era.
Nick Daicos Family
Nick Daicos comes from a family with deep connections to Australian rules football.
His father is Peter Daicos, one of Collingwood’s greatest players and a member of the club’s 1990 premiership team. Peter played 250 games for Collingwood and kicked 549 goals during a career that ran from 1979 to 1993.
Nick’s older brother, Josh Daicos, is also a professional AFL footballer and a Collingwood teammate.
This means the Daicos family has produced three generations of footballing influence at the club—not literally three generations of players, but three members across the father-and-sons lineage.
Nick has often spoken about the influence of his family and the football environment in which he grew up.
Nick Daicos Parents
Nick’s parents are Peter and Colleen Daicos.
Peter’s extraordinary Collingwood career naturally created expectations around his sons, but Nick and Josh have developed their own identities within the club.
The family’s connection to Collingwood became particularly visible when both brothers signed long-term contracts to remain with the Magpies. Nick’s deal runs through the end of 2029.
Peter has remained an important influence on Nick’s development, particularly in the technical aspects of the game.
Nick Daicos Brother: Josh Daicos
Josh Daicos is Nick’s older brother and another established Collingwood player.
Josh was selected by the Magpies as a father-son selection in the 2016 AFL National Draft and made his senior debut in 2017.
Having an older brother already playing professional football gave Nick a close example of what life inside an AFL club would look like.
The two brothers eventually became teammates, extending the Daicos family’s connection to Collingwood.
For Nick, however, the challenge has always been to establish his own career rather than simply live in the shadow of his father’s reputation or his brother’s achievements.
Nick Daicos Education
Nick Daicos attended Carey Baptist Grammar School in Melbourne.
Before moving to Carey, he was a student at Camberwell Grammar. Collingwood’s own account of his development says he moved to Carey Baptist Grammar around 2018, where he entered the school’s First XVIII football program while still in Year 10.
His school years were an important part of his development as an elite footballer.
He played in the Associated Public Schools system and continued progressing through the junior football pathway before moving into the Oakleigh Chargers and Collingwood development programs.
There is no reliable indication that Daicos pursued a university degree after finishing secondary school. His professional AFL career became his primary focus.
Nick Daicos Junior Football Career
Long before becoming an AFL star, Daicos was already attracting attention as a junior.
He played junior football with the Kew Rovers in the Yarra Junior Football League and competed against older players during his development.
According to Collingwood, he won the league’s Best & Fairest at Under-15 level.
He later progressed into the Oakleigh Chargers pathway, where his combination of decision-making, speed, ball use and football intelligence made him one of the most highly regarded prospects in his age group.
Nick Daicos Drafted by Collingwood
Daicos was selected by Collingwood with Pick No. 4 in the 2021 AFL National Draft under the father-son rule.
The selection was widely anticipated because he had been regarded as one of the standout prospects of his generation for years.
Being eligible to join Collingwood through the father-son system also continued one of the club’s most recognizable football traditions.
His father’s history with the Magpies meant that Nick arrived at the club carrying significant expectations.
He responded almost immediately.
Nick Daicos AFL Debut
Nick Daicos made his AFL debut for Collingwood in Round 1 of the 2022 season against St Kilda.
The AFL lists his debut year as 2022.
His first season was enough to establish him as one of the league’s most exciting young players.
He won both the AFL Rising Star Award and the AFLPA Best First Year Player Award in 2022.
He also earned selection in the 22under22 team.
For a first-year player, the number of accolades immediately placed Daicos among the competition’s most closely watched young talents.
Nick Daicos and the 2023 Premiership
Daicos’ career moved even faster in his second season.
In 2023, he won the Anzac Day Medal and continued developing from a half-back role into a more influential midfield position.
He was a member of Collingwood’s premiership-winning team that year.
The 2023 flag became an important milestone because it gave Daicos his first AFL premiership medal at only 20 years old.
His individual performances also earned him another All-Australian selection and the AFL Coaches Association’s Best Young Player award.
Nick Daicos’ Major Awards
Daicos has accumulated a remarkable collection of individual honors in a short period.
His major achievements include:
- 2022 AFL Rising Star
- 2022 AFLPA Best First Year Player
- 2023 AFL Premiership
- 2023 Anzac Day Medal
- 2023 AFLCA Best Young Player
- 2023, 2024 and 2025 All-Australian selection
- 2024 Copeland Trophy
- 2024 AFLCA Champion Player of the Year
- 2025 Leigh Matthews Trophy
- 2025 Lou Richards Medal
- 2026 AFLPA MVP
- 2026 AFLCA Champion Player
- 2026 Brownlow Medal
Collingwood’s official profile records his premiership, All-Australian selections, Rising Star, Copeland Trophy, Anzac Day Medal and other honors. (collingwoodfc.com.au)
Nick Daicos Wins the 2026 Brownlow Medal
The biggest addition to Daicos’ résumé came in September 2026.
He won the 2026 Brownlow Medal with 47 votes, setting a new record in the modern 3-2-1 voting era.
He polled votes in 18 of his 22 matches and received three votes in 13 games.
The result came after he had finished second in the Brownlow voting in both 2024 and 2025. (abc.net.au)
The victory also made him the first Collingwood player to win the Brownlow since Dane Swan in 2011.
At 23, Daicos has now added the AFL’s highest individual league-and-fairest honor to a résumé that already includes a premiership and multiple major awards.
Nick Daicos Playing Style
One of Daicos’ defining characteristics is his ability to make decisions quickly.
He combines:
- Elite ball use
- Speed
- Vision
- Football intelligence
- Endurance
- Clean disposal
- Ability to generate scoring opportunities
- Strong positional awareness
His junior coaches had identified many of these traits before he entered the AFL.
Collingwood’s retrospective on his development highlights his ability to read the ball, make decisions quickly and use his speed to influence games even when playing against older opponents.
Nick Daicos Contract and Salary
Nick Daicos signed a long-term contract extension with Collingwood in 2023 that keeps him at the club through the end of the 2029 season.
The exact value of the contract has not been officially disclosed.
At the time the deal was negotiated, media reports speculated that his future earnings could reach roughly AU$1 million or more per season, while Peter Daicos publicly rejected a report that the contract was worth $1 million annually. (foxsports.com.au)
Because the actual contract terms remain private, reported salary figures should be treated as estimates rather than confirmed earnings.
Nick Daicos Net Worth
There is no authoritative public figure for Nick Daicos’ personal net worth.
His income comes from AFL football, commercial partnerships, endorsements and other opportunities associated with his growing profile.
He signed a Nike deal early in his AFL career, and media reports have identified him as one of the league’s most marketable young players. ([turn1search5])
However, net-worth websites and celebrity-finance estimates are not reliable enough to establish an exact figure.
A more accurate description is that Daicos has become a highly valuable young AFL athlete, with substantial earning potential and a long-term contract at Collingwood, rather than assigning him an unsupported net-worth number.
Nick Daicos Religion
Nick Daicos’ specific religious beliefs have not been reliably documented in authoritative public sources.
His education at Carey Baptist Grammar does not establish his personal religion. The school has a Baptist ethos, but attending a Christian school does not by itself demonstrate a person’s private beliefs.
Daicos’ family has Greek heritage, but ethnicity or family background should not be treated as proof of a particular religious affiliation.
Therefore:
Religion: No confirmed public information available.
Nick Daicos Personal Life
Daicos generally keeps his personal life relatively private compared with the amount of attention surrounding his football career.
He has been linked publicly with relationships, but details about his private life are not central to his professional profile.
He is not publicly documented as married.
Much of his public identity remains centered on Collingwood, Australian rules football and his family connection to the sport.
Nick Daicos Social Media
Daicos has developed a substantial public profile through social media, particularly Instagram.
His online presence gives fans glimpses of his football career, training, commercial partnerships and life away from matches.
However, social-media posts should not be treated as a complete representation of his private life.
Nick Daicos Legacy
Nick Daicos is already building a significant legacy at Collingwood despite being only 23.
His story is unusual because he entered the AFL carrying the weight of the Daicos name, yet his performances have quickly created a reputation of their own.
He is a premiership player.
He is a multiple-time All-Australian.
He has won major individual awards.
And, in 2026, he became a Brownlow Medal winner.
His father Peter established the Daicos name at Collingwood decades ago. His brother Josh has also become a successful AFL player. Nick has now added another major chapter to that family story.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nick Daicos
How old is Nick Daicos?
Nick Daicos was born January 3, 2003, making him 23 years old in 2026.
Who are Nick Daicos’ parents?
His parents are Peter and Colleen Daicos. Peter is a Collingwood legend and former premiership player.
Who is Nick Daicos’ brother?
His older brother is Josh Daicos, who also plays for Collingwood.
Where did Nick Daicos go to school?
He attended Camberwell Grammar before moving to Carey Baptist Grammar School in Melbourne, where he completed his secondary education.
When did Nick Daicos make his AFL debut?
He made his AFL debut in 2022 for Collingwood.
What draft pick was Nick Daicos?
Collingwood selected him with Pick No. 4 in the 2021 AFL National Draft under the father-son rule.
Did Nick Daicos win a Brownlow Medal?
Yes. He won the 2026 Brownlow Medal with 47 votes, setting a record under the modern voting system.
Is Nick Daicos religious?
His specific personal religious affiliation has not been reliably documented in public authoritative sources.
What is Nick Daicos’ net worth?
His exact net worth is not publicly confirmed. While his AFL contract and commercial opportunities indicate substantial earnings, an exact personal net-worth figure would be speculative.
Final Tribute to Nick Daicos
Nick Daicos has already established himself as one of the most prominent young figures in Australian rules football.
From his early days in junior football to his rapid rise at Collingwood, his career has been marked by exceptional consistency and a long list of achievements.
The influence of his father and brother helped shape his football journey, but Nick has also built a distinct identity through his own performances.
His 2023 premiership, multiple All-Australian selections and major individual awards laid the foundation for an extraordinary career.
Then came 2026.
At just 23, Nick Daicos won his first Brownlow Medal and did so with a record-breaking 47 votes.
His story is still being written.
With his Collingwood contract running through 2029, his career remains firmly in its early stages.
Nick Daicos’ legacy is already significant, but the most remarkable part may be how much of his football story still lies ahead.