Nick Daicos, Heeney win best-and-fairest gongs

Nick Daicos has claimed Collingwood's best-and-fairest award for the first time, further enhancing the family's iconic status at the AFL club.

The 21-year-old midfielder joins father Peter (1982, 1988) and brother Josh (2023) as a winner of the Copeland Trophy.

Nick Daicos had an outstanding 2024 campaign, finishing runner-up in the Brownlow Medal to Carlton's Patrick Cripps.

Both Daicos (38) and Cripps (45) broke the previous record for most votes polled in the league's most prestigious individual honour.

Daicos was also named All-Australian for the second time, but his achievements came in a disappointing season for Collingwood.

The Magpies, who won a record-equalling 16th premiership in 2023, battled a raft of injuries and tumbled down the ladder to miss the finals this year.

Meanwhile, Isaac Heeney was crowned Sydney's best and fairest some six days after his team's miserable grand-final loss to Brisbane.

Heeney was among the Swans players to struggle at the MCG in the 60-point loss, revealing after the grand final that he had been playing with a stress fracture in his ankle during this year's finals series.

The versatile academy graduate, who shifted into Sydney's midfield this year, polled 28 Brownlow votes during his career-best season.

"Isaac's hard running, stoppage work and ability to finish off was as good as anyone in the competition this year," Swans coach John Longmire said of the Bob Skilton Medal winner.

"Isaac is also genuinely tough. As we saw in the back end of the season, we admired his ability to play under physical duress."