Collingwood legend Peter Daicos earned a reputation as one of football’s tough men, but has now revealed the health fears his family had before his appearance on the reality show. I’m a celebrity… Get me out of here!
Daicos played his entire 250-game career for Collingwood, scoring a total of 549 goals in 15 years.
That included winning the AFL Premiership in 1990, receiving Goal of the Year in 1991 and being inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
Daicos was known for his exceptional goal-scoring ability, particularly from challenging angles, which earned him the nickname “The Wizard” and led to him being named in Collingwood’s Team of the Century.
But it was his recent participation in the jungle reality show that really tested his mettle and the Magpies great said he was extremely proud to have lasted 25 days following his elimination on Monday.
Peter Daicos admitted that he had health problems before his time on the reality show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
Peter’s sons Nick and Josh Daicos were part of Collingwood’s historic 2023 premiership victory.
Peter is still considered a legend in the Magpies and has development teams and even his own Collingwood fragrance named after him.
However, that jungle stay came with protests from his family, including Collingwood premiership heroes Josh and Nick Daicos.
“I’ll be honest, the family wasn’t happy,” Daicos, 62, said after losing 10kg during his time on the show.
“Part of me wanted to do it because of the challenge, but I had been having some health problems and I said if I could get through something like this and I was getting stronger mentally, then I could say I was back.”
‘I had a hernia in 2022 and it has taken me a little time. It changed the way I ate and I lost a lot of weight. “The recovery was much slower than if I had done it five years ago, but mentally and physically I feel good and that’s why I wanted to do it.”
Daicos admitted that his secret to staying alert in the jungle was cold showers in the morning and even colder swims during the day to keep his mind active.
“Honestly, I’m excited to get through it,” Daicos said.
‘Someone said something about mindful eating and simple things like eating a banana, which was the first piece of sugar I ever had, I used to look at it and just throw it in the bin.
‘I can’t wait to talk to the boys. They are very proud and so is. [my daughter] maddie et al [wife Colleen].
“That’s the thing, they’re in the public eye and part of that was, ‘Dad, don’t say anything you shouldn’t say.'” Before I went I said I know how I’m going to handle it.
Daicos senior sees a lot of himself in his children, but recognizes that they are his own players in the Magpies
The Daicos family has Collinwood running through their veins with three premiership winners in their ranks
More than 30 years into his successful career, Daicos said he misses the excitement that football brought him, but appreciates the continued support of Collingwood fans, who have also shown great affection towards his children.
“I was a different type of player, I didn’t depend on running hard. I preferred to understand it, buy a little time, space and then I could do it. The only thing I can do is use the ball,” he said.
“My attention was always on football, so I didn’t know what was coming. The only thing I used to look at was basically socks and feet and basically just rowing the ball and working my way through the maze.
‘I knew how good I was, no one could do what I could do. And I’m not being (arrogant). I am proud to be original. I’m not your standard proto thing. I was different in the way I played, in the way I moved.
“Josh can do similar things and I think Nick can too. The movements, the way they approach the ball, maybe it’s after they get the ball, just what they do to gain space or get the ball.”