On track:Nick Daicos says the Magpies’ willingness to pressure opponents has been central to turning around their season.Credit:Getty Images
Their ball movement has improved,while their willingness to pressure was on show against the Hawks with a rating of 202,becoming only the third team to break the 200 mark this season to that point.
Coming off the bye,Daicos said on Monday that the premiers were fresh,and building towards striking top form “by the right time of the season” after the supporter angst that resulted from their sluggish start to the season.
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“It’s an interesting start to the season. We probably didn’t start the way we wanted to in terms of wins and losses,” Daicos said,having served breakfast at the Magpies’ Nest Cafe to Melbourne’s homeless and disadvantaged community.
“I think the foundation of our game was there,and we have kept building on that,and we have been rewarded the last couple of weeks with wins. So,I think we are heading in the right direction,for sure,and we are starting to see the[pressure] DNA of our game come to fruition.
“It’s something that we pride ourselves on. As I said,it’s the foundation of our game,our pressure. We will continue to bring that for weeks to come. It’s something that we really practice throughout the week.”
Daicos is averaging a team-high 29.8 disposals per game,and had a season-high five tackles against the Hawks,coming after coach Craig McRae had lamented the “fundamental errors” his team was making. Daicos averaged almost four tackles per game last year,but had only laid two in each of the losses to Sydney and the Giants.