Nick Daicos the hero as Collingwood holds off Carlton

An incredible job. We had a plan going in, we knew we had enormous threats in there. Last week wasn’t at a level we were happy with. Got to work on that. He had a great plan for all of us. We had a couple of guys doing jobs on individuals in there. Walsh is a great player. He got away from us. Jeez, they looked so threatening around that part of the game. It’s only small margins. We kick a goal with a minute to go, but, ultimately, there’s a lot of those things contribute to us getting the result in the end.

Have you seen a mature- age debutante like Lachie Sullivan handle an occasion tonight to debut in front of nearly 90,000 people and have the impact he had?

Great to have the impact he had. Great to have his family in. We had him in the club yesterday, his girlfriend. He’s had to wait a long time for this. There’s something to be said for those who have some patience to wait, but the resilience, yeah, look, he’s been looking like an AFL player for weeks. We’ve seen that. He gets an opportunity, first kick, kicks a goal. That gives such energy to all of us. The whole group just rises and connects. There’s a lot to be said for that. He’s an important message for some when things don’t go your way, just keep going. You never know. Hopefully that inspires others in the state leagues.

Your pressure rating was 192 in the second quarter. Do you feel like everything positive you do, it really revolves around that ability to exert pressure?

Well, that’s a key indicator for success for us. I think most teams know that. I was just chatting to Vossy after the game, pressure was really good. Plus 31 tackles is a big number. We’re not here to go back in time and go, “We want to play like we did last year.” That’s not us. That’s done. We want to be better. We weren’t getting plus 31 in tackles last year. That’s a better version of us. It’s hard to stop.

“All we can do at Collingwood is role model, and I often talk about it being a great father, being a great husband, giving to the community and representing us well, but also be yourself,” McRae said.

“We talk about winning on the scoreboard. That’s important, that really is. But I’m not here to be a spokesperson. I’m not into politics. I’m into role modelling, making our men proud young men. Winning on the scoreboard is one thing. Winning at all levels is really important for the Collingwood Football Club.”

I think... I mean, if you go back to our best last year, the arm wrestle, we probably won our fair share of them. And close ones, we have a lot of confidence as a group. Five and three is a pretty good position to be in. We have a really tough patch of games, some quality opposition. We just have to go to work against Melbourne, then Sydney, see what we can do.

Locking down time in forward half is always a challenge against Collingwood footy club. Your forwards looked dangerous when they had the opportunities.

38 entries probably isn’t going to do it for us. They certainly took the opportunities which was good. We just have to get them certainly more production. It’s something we can look at. The offensive, defensive, how we can play defence with the ball in hand. For us, you’ve got to give credit to Collingwood and the way they played. They got it done.

LS: I think I just got lucky, right place, right time. The ball spilled out. I just kicked it when I got it. Lucky it went in, pretty. It was good. It was amazing, cool.

SP: He’s pretty modest, but to be working 6.5 years, only on our list 10 weeks, but the amount of work he’s done behind the scenes to be ready to come out here, know his stuff, I think seeing how excited the boys were for him when he kicked that goal, we come from everywhere. I’m super proud of him. He has fit in really well.

What was your goal celebration about?

SP: I do a bit of coaching at school footy. On Thursday night, the boys asked me to do that. So, yeah. I didn’t really feel too comfortable doing it. I know they will get a laugh out of it tomorrow when I see them.

Lachy, there’s so many players around the country, in all seriousness, the hope and dream to play AFL footy. The grit, determination, you are a real inspiration. You must be real proud of your journey.

LS: I think so. It’s been a long journey. There was plenty of times I didn’t think it would happen. After all the disappointment, you’ve just got to keep going. It might take a bit longer for some people. I guess it did for me. To be called something like that is pretty amazing. It’s an honour really.

Seriously, emotions when you saw that goal get kicked?

It was a good feeling. We missed a couple before it. You start to get a little bit nervous. I’m just lucky it went through.

What about the stage, the rivalry, of course. Do the four points taste that little bit sweeter against a quality side like Carlton?

For sure. I think both teams set themselves up playing against each other. Look at the crowd we draw. Right from the outset, it was just game on. It was awesome. As I said, just grateful to be out here.

It’s the biggest home-and-away crowd for these two sides in the history of these two sides in the history of the game. What’s the most pleasing aspect for you? You’re a couple of key Cogs down, particularly through the midfield group. Plus 23 inside 50, you were never out of the contest.

I think that’s it. We had obviously some superstars out this game. I think our ability for that next mentality, we had Lachlan Sullivan debut on the bench, when he kicked his first goal, said good luck, next minute he was kicking his goal with his first kick. The boys were unbelievable tonight, same as Harvey Harrison.

He was on the ground 2.5 minutes before he kicked his first AFL goal. In that moment, he only got signed up to the footy club 10 weeks ago. What’s he been able to do to earn the right to debut quite quickly at the club?

The perseverance, I think it is such a great story. I think it’s been, as you said, seven or eight years. Didn’t get drafted, has come in, played such an integral role for us in front of 90,000. It’s pretty special.

The Daicos’ were in the box, dad went absolutely nuts when you kicked that goal. Got a message for him?

Keep celebrating. I hope he enjoyed it.