Peter Daicos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peter Daicos |
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Peter Daicos in 2009
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| Personal information | |||
| Nickname(s) | Macedonian Marvel, Daics | ||
| Date of birth | 20 September 1961 | ||
| Original team | Preston RSL (Vic) | ||
| Debut | Round 4, 1979, Collingwood v. St Kilda, at Victoria Park |
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| Career highlights | |||
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Peter Daicos (born 20 September 1961) is a famous former Australian rules football player. He played his whole career, 250 games, for the Collingwood Football Club in the VFL/AFL.
Many people think Daicos is one of Collingwood's best players ever. He scored an amazing 549 goals in his 15-year career. Because of his great playing, he was added to the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
His achievements include winning the 1990 AFL premiership with Collingwood. He also won the 1991 Goal of the Year award. Peter Daicos also played five times for his home state team, Victoria.
He was chosen for Collingwood's Team of the Century as a forward pocket player. He was the top goalkicker for the club in five different seasons. Daicos also won Collingwood's best player award, the best-and-fairest award, twice.
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Peter Daicos's Football Career
Peter Daicos started playing for the Collingwood Football Club in 1979. His first game was in Round 4 against St Kilda. Collingwood won that game by a huge 179 points. This was the biggest winning difference in VFL/AFL history at that time.
He played 250 games for Collingwood, scoring 549 goals. He stayed with the team until he retired in 1993. In 1990, he helped Collingwood win the premiership. He even kicked Collingwood's first goal in that important match.
In the 1990 season, Daicos scored 97 goals. He mostly played as a forward pocket. This was amazing because he was shorter than most full-forwards. He also wasn't playing in the usual position for a main goalkicker.
His special skills helped him score goals from very difficult angles. He was also great at getting away from defenders. Because of these skills, people started calling him 'The Magician'. One of his goals, which tied a game in the 1990 Qualifying Final, became famous. It was even featured in a Toyota advertisement in 2005.
Life After Playing Football
After retiring from playing, Peter Daicos stayed involved in sports. In 2005, he became a coach for a local team called the Greythorn Falcons. He led them to a big 80-point win in their Grand Final in 2006.
In 2007, Daicos started a company called SportzStats. This system helped young players track their sports statistics. It was a mix of online tools and a diary for different sports.
In 2010, Peter Daicos returned to radio. He started working as a commentator for the AFL Live radio team.
Peter Daicos's Family and Background
Peter Daicos is often called the 'Macedonian Marvel'. This nickname comes from his ethnic Macedonian background. His parents were immigrants from the village of Vevi in Greece. They spoke the Macedonian language at home.
Peter loved Australian rules football from a young age. He played for his school team at Preston East High School.
His oldest son, Josh, also plays for Collingwood. He joined the team in 2016 through a special rule for sons of former players. Another son, Nick, also joined Collingwood in 2021 using the same rule. Both Josh and Nick played for the Oakleigh Chargers before joining the AFL. They both won an AFL premiership with Collingwood in 2023.
In March 2024, Peter Daicos was a celebrity contestant. He appeared on the tenth season of the TV show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.
Peter Daicos's Legacy in AFL
In 1999, Peter Daicos was honored by being inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame. In 2002, he was chosen for the AFL Greek Team of the Century. This team is for players with Greek heritage. Even though Daicos is ethnic Macedonian, his family's hometown is in Greece, so he was eligible.
Today, Peter Daicos's name is often used by sports journalists and fans. They use it to describe a difficult goal scored from the side of the field. Especially if the goal is kicked along the ground in a controlled way. These goals are often called a 'Daicos-style goal'.
Peter's son, Josh Daicos, won the Goal of the Year award in 2020. He scored a goal from the boundary line in a way that reminded everyone of his dad's famous goals. This goal helped Collingwood win against Sydney.
Peter Daicos still holds a special record at Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast. In 1991, he kicked 13 goals in one game against the Brisbane Bears. This is the most goals ever kicked by one player at that stadium.
See also
- List of VFL/AFL players by ethnicity
