Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos is bullish ahead of his team's September campaign, as he says the club is excited to take on the challenge of the Adelaide Crows at Adelaide Oval for the second time in a month.
The final month of Collingwood's 2025 campaign has raised doubts about their premiership credentials, and with the loss of Jeremy Howe to injury and others, like Beau McCreery, still in doubt to play in the First Qualifying Final, questions about the Magpies potential success this September is mounting.
Daicos, however, has welcomed the pressure and is looking forward to quietening the critics.
"I think anytime you can come up against the ladder leaders, you're very excited to play them," Daicos said.
"We know that their crowd is super electric. We can't wait to get over there and play in front of them. Playing there a couple weeks ago, it was such a great game and just playing in front of that crowd, the momentum swings and everything we really relish, so we can't wait to get over there.
"Our game is in really good stead. They're the ladder-leaders and we lost the game by under a kick. It could have gone either way. We know if we play our best footy, we'll take it right up to them.
"I think we relish that [the doubters]. Write us off at your own peril. We're ready to go, we know our game is in great shape and we can't wait to get to Adelaide."
Daicos would downplay the controversy from the last time these sides met, outwardly refuting the suggestion that the missed free kick on Riley Thilthorpe for time wasting cost them the game.
However, tensions are bound to be high following the fallout of the match and the reported on-field sledging that took place, though Daicos is looking to sharply focus on the game rather than those antics.
"I don't think [we'll get stuck into Thilthorpe], I don't think the missed free kick affected the result at all," Daicos said.
"It'll be on us to play better and win ourselves. I don't think an umpiring decision like that really matters. It's on us to really take the game by the scruff of the neck and show up on Thursday night."
Daicos noted that the absence of Rankine will impact the way Collingwood sets up, but stayed quiet on how their matchups around the ground would change.
"Rankine's a super dynamic player obviously and had such a great year. A lot of time goes into how you stop him," Daicos said.
"We don't tag as a team but generally a matchup for him would be Isaac Quaynor who is such a strong defender, he would put his focus into that.
"Izak Rankine's a real energiser for Adelaide and their crowd so it'll be interesting with him not out there, but I'm sure they'll have plenty of players who will step up."
Daicos and the Magpies will look to get redemption for their Round 23 loss on Thursday night, with the blockbuster fixture between Collingwood and Adelaide to begin at 7:40pm (AEST).
