Nick Daicos has been crowned the 2022 NAB AFL Rising Star. 

Daicos won the award with 60 votes ahead of the Geelong Cats' defender Sam De Koning (48 votes) and Hawthorn's Jai Newcombe (35 votes). 

He received the Ron Evans Medal, a $20,000 personal investment portfolio and a dedicated private banker – courtesy of NAB – at the AFL Awards ceremony tonight. 

The young defender played 22 matches in his first season in the AFL after being selected with the fourth pick in the 2021 NAB AFL Draft. 

Collingwood matched the Gold Coast SUNS' bid in the draft under the father-son rules. Nick Daicos' father, Peter Daicos, played 250 games and kicked 549 goals for Collingwood in the number 35 – the same number as Nick. 

Daicos was drafted from the Oakleigh Chargers in the NAB League. He played junior football with the Greythorn Falcons – now known as the Balwyn Greythorn Junior Football Club – in the Yarra Junior Football League. 

Across the 2022 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, Daicos averaged 26 disposals at 75.8 per cent disposal efficiency. 

He also averaged 3.9 marks, two tackles, four rebound 50s, and 2.7 inside 50s per game. 

In Collingwood's Round 18 five-point win against the Adelaide Crows, Daicos starred with 40 disposals, three goals, 5 tackles and three marks. 

Daicos was awarded the Round Three NAB AFL Rising Star nomination this year after a 26 disposal, four marks, five clearances and one goal game against the Geelong Cats. 

He becomes the second Collingwood player to win the award after Jaidyn Stephenson was awarded the NAB Rising Star in 2018. 

The 2022 NAB AFL Rising Star Voting

1st - Nick Daicos, Collingwood. 60 votes 
2nd - Sam De Koning, Geelong Cats. 48 votes 
3rd - Jai Newcombe, Hawthorn. 35 votes 
4th - Jack Ginnivan, Collingwood. 21 votes 
5th - Nic Martin, Essendon. 12 votes 
6th - Jake Bowey, Melbourne. 2 votes 
7th - Nathan Chapman, Fremantle. 1 vote 
7th - Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Western Bulldogs. 1 vote 

Gillon McLachlan 

5. Nick Daicos 
4. Sam De Koning 
3. Jai Newcombe 
2. Nic Martin 
1. Jack Ginnivan 

Brad Scott 

5. Nick Daicos 
4. Sam De Koning 
3. Jai Newcombe 
2. Jack Ginnivan 
1. Jamarra Ugle-Hagan 

Gerard Healy 

5. Nick Daicos 
4. Sam De Koning 
3. Jai Newcombe 
2. Nic Martin 
1. Jack Ginnivan 

Glen Jakovich 

5. Nick Daicos 
4. Sam De Koning 
3. Jai Newcombe 
2. Jake Bowey 
1. Nic Martin 

Andrew Dillon 

5. Nick Daicos 
4. Sam De Koning 
3. Jai Newcombe 
2. Jack Ginnivan 
1. Nic Martin 

Nick Riewoldt 

5. Nick Daicos 
4. Sam De Koning 
3. Jai Newcombe 
2. Jack Ginnivan 
1. Nic Martin 

Jude Bolton 

5. Nick Daicos 
4. Sam De Koning 
3. Jai Newcombe 
2. Jack Ginnivan 
1. Nathan Chapman 

Chris Johnson 

5. Nick Daicos 
4. Sam De Koning 
3. Jai Newcombe 
2. Jack Ginnivan 
1. Nic Martin 

Cameron Ling 

5. Nick Daicos 
4. Sam De Koning 
3. Jack Ginnivan 
2. Jai Newcombe 
1. Nic Martin 

Nathan Buckley 

5. Nick Daicos 
4. Sam De Koning 
3. Jai Newcombe 
2. Jack Ginnivan
1. Nic Martin 

Kane Cornes 

5. Nick Daicos 
4. Sam De Koning 
3. Jai Newcombe 
2. Jack Ginnivan 
1. Nic Martin 

Kevin Sheehan 

5. Nick Daicos 
4. Sam De Koning 
3. Jai Newcombe 
2. Jack Ginnivan 
1. Nic Martin

NAB AFL Rising Star Winners: 1993 - Present 

The NAB AFL Rising Star is part of the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program, which supports grassroots players and football communities and helps young Australians fulfill their dream of playing in the AFL. The NAB AFL Rising Stars Program comprises the following elements:
• NAB AFL Rising Star
• NAB AFL Draft
• NAB AFL Draft Combine
• NAB AFL Under-18 Championships
• NAB AFL Academy
• NAB AFL Under-16 Championships
• NAB League
NAB has been supporting footy from grassroots to the elite level since 2002, providing boys and girls with a clear pathway from NAB AFL Auskick to the big time.