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Daicos v Windhager: King’s new take on hard tag after analysing footage
SEN • June 23rd, 2025 10:56 am
David King views the Nick Daicos v Marcus Windhager one-on-one battle differently after rewatching the game in its entirety.
King made headlines after raising concerns on Fox Footy that some of Windhager’s tagging tactics could have been ‘outside the code’ following Collingwood’s 34-point win over St Kilda on Saturday night.
The North Melbourne great highlighted moments which saw Windhager kneeing the back of Daicos’ hamstring at a stoppage and more footage that appeared to show the Saint pinching and grabbing the Magpie in open play as points of concern.
But after watching back all four quarters, King was relieved to see that those moments were one-offs and not a part of Windhager’s overall tagging tactics.
While he didn’t think Windhager overstepped in his close attention to Daicos, he did think the Magpie could have received far more than the four free kicks he earned as he felt the superstar was held far too often at contests.
“I had to go and watch this whole game again on side vision to just have a look at how he went about it,” King said on SEN Breakfast.
“I thought his application to task, Marcus Windhager, is as good as I've seen in a long time. He did not give him an inch, and he didn't do anything outside the code.
“There was a lot of wrist grabbing, arm holding, twisting and those sorts of things, which I think the umpires can get a bit more aggressive on (and pay free kicks), But the kneeing to the hamstring only happened on that one occasion that was caught on camera.
“He sort of kneed him twice to the back of the hamstring. I was hoping that was the only time, and it clearly was.
“There was a stack of holding and ‘handcuffing’ and I think that's a free kick every time. I thought the umpires didn't have a great night calling that.
“If we want that to be part of the game, then let it go, but I don’t think anyone in their right mind does.
“You’ve got to make it as hard for the tagger as you do the guy being tagged, we can’t let them run around doing what they like.”
King’s co-host Kane Cornes was also impressed with Windhager’s application to the task. The only thing is, the Saint did his job well, but Daicos was still best on ground with 30 disposals, one goal and nine score involvements.
“I've watched Windhager a lot, I love the way he goes about it,” Cornes said.
“The question is, if that's as good an application as there can be, and he still has 30 and kicks a goal and he should get the 10 coaches votes, then what do you do with him? That's the question.
“No one has a tagger as good as Windhager … the full team approach is probably what's required, not just leaving a tagger one out.”
Daicos and the Magpies next face the Eagles at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
