AFL star Nick Daicos was all smiles on Thursday night as he appeared at the 2024 AFL Awards in Melbourne with his stunning girlfriend Arlette on his arm.
The lovebirds led the arrivals at Centrepiece with the Magpies midfielder, 21, looking dapper in a monochrome suit and tie.
Meanwhile, Arlette stole the show in a gorgeous brown gown that featured a strapless neckline and a daring cutout at the midriff.
Nick had plenty to be happy about at the big event as he received the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year award.
This put the AFL player neck and neck with Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli, who claimed the event’s other most prestigious award.
The 28-year-old, who arrived with partner Neila Brenning, took home the Leigh Matthews Trophy as AFL Players’ Association MVP.
Marcus and Neila looked exactly alike: he was wearing a black suit and tie, while she was flattering in a black satin dress.
Nick and Marcus’ wins have increased anticipation for this year’s Brownlow Medal as they are among the leading contenders this season.
AFL star Nick Daicos, 21 (right), was all smiles on Thursday night as he appeared at the 2024 AFL Awards in Melbourne with his stunning girlfriend Arlette (left) on his arm.
Nick has earned coaches’ votes in 16 of the 23 games this season, including a top 10 votes on five separate occasions, and Marcus was named AFLPA captain of the year.
Elsewhere at the AFL Awards, the Lions’ Lachie Neale arrived with his mother Amanda Neale.
The couple also wore black: Lachie, 31, who is expecting his second child with wife Jules, opted for a pop of colour with a red tie.
The Demons’ Max Gawn and his wife Jessica Todd also made an appearance.
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 7 The lovebirds led the arrivals at Centrepiece with the Magpies midfielder, 21, looking dapper in a monochrome suit and tie.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpeg.webp)
The lovebirds led the arrivals at Centrepiece with the Magpies midfielder, 21, looking dapper in a monochrome suit and tie.
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 9 Nick had plenty to be happy about at the big event as he received the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year award.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/1724955768_43_Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpeg.webp)
Nick had plenty to be happy about at the big event as he received the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year award.
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 11 It put the AFL player neck-and-neck with Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli, 28 (pictured), who took home the other most prestigious award at the event.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/1724955774_502_Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpeg.webp)
It put the AFL player neck-and-neck with Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli, 28 (pictured), who took home the other most prestigious award at the event.
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 13 The 28-year-old, who arrived with partner Neila Brenning (right), took home the Leigh Matthews Trophy as AFL Players' Association MVP.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/1724955781_612_Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpg.webp)
The 28-year-old, who arrived with partner Neila Brenning (right), took home the Leigh Matthews Trophy as AFL Players’ Association MVP.
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 15 Marcus and Neila looked exactly alike, he sported a black suit and tie, while she showed off her figure in a black satin dress.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/1724955788_648_Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpeg.webp)
Marcus and Neila looked exactly alike, he sported a black suit and tie, while she showed off her figure in a black satin dress.
The 32-year-old ruckman was all smiles while his partner stole the show in a royal blue halterneck dress.
Geelong’s vivacious Ollie Dempsey earned his own spotlight at the awards ceremony by taking home the AFL Rising Star award.
The 21-year-old striker claimed the award after early favourites Harley Reid and Sam Darcy were ruled ineligible through suspension.
Calls for the league to change eligibility criteria were rejected in June when the West Coast and Western Bulldogs stars were suspended for two matches in Round 12.
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 17 Elsewhere at the AFL Awards, the Lions' Lachie Neale, 31 (left), arrived with his mother Amanda Neale (right)](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/1724955795_506_Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpeg.webp)
Elsewhere at the AFL Awards, the Lions’ Lachie Neale, 31 (left), arrived with his mother Amanda Neale (right)
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 19 The couple also wore black, with Lachie, who is expecting his second child with wife Jules, opting for a pop of colour with a red tie.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/1724955801_338_Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpg.webp)
The couple also wore black, with Lachie, who is expecting his second child with wife Jules, opting for a pop of colour with a red tie.
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 21 The Demons' Max Gawn, 32 (left) and his wife Jessica Todd (right) also made an appearance.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/1724955807_231_Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpeg.webp)
The Demons’ Max Gawn, 32 (left) and his wife Jessica Todd (right) also made an appearance.
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 23 The ruckman was all smiles as his partner stole the show in a royal blue halterneck dress.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/1724955814_935_Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpg.webp)
The ruckman was all smiles as his partner stole the show in a royal blue halterneck dress.
Harley, 19, was suspended for rough conduct after a dangerous tackle on St Kilda’s Darcy Wilson, who finished fourth in the Rising Star award with 15 votes.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Sam has been suspended for his late hit on Collingwood defender Brayden Maynard.
The AFL said a “fairer” component should be retained in the eligibility criteria for the Rising Sun.
This left Ollie clearly standing out among the young talents eligible for the competition after obtaining 52 of the 55 possible votes.
Ollie is the second Geelong player to win the Rising Star award after club great Joel Selwood in 2007.
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 25 Geelong player Ollie Dempsey, 21, (pictured), earned his own spotlight at the awards ceremony by taking home the AFL Rising Star award.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/1724955820_820_Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpeg.webp)
Geelong player Ollie Dempsey, 21, (pictured), earned his own spotlight at the awards ceremony by taking home the AFL Rising Star award.
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 27 Giants' Jesse Hogan, 29 (left), arrived with his model girlfriend Chloe Doven (right) looking angelic in an all-white dress.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/1724955825_992_Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpeg.webp)
Giants’ Jesse Hogan, 29 (left), arrived with his model girlfriend Chloe Doven (right) looking angelic in an all-white dress.
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 29 Blues star Patrick Cripps, 29, (left), was all smiles alongside partner Monique Fontana (right), who dazzled in a black satin and lace gown.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/1724955830_79_Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpeg.webp)
Blues star Patrick Cripps, 29, (left), was all smiles alongside partner Monique Fontana (right), who dazzled in a black satin and lace gown.
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 31 Swans' Isaac Heeney, 28 (left), attended with girlfriend Steffie Waters (right), who opted for a bright green dress.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/1724955836_48_Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpeg.webp)
Swans’ Isaac Heeney, 28 (left), attended with girlfriend Steffie Waters (right), who opted for a bright green dress.
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 33 Swans' Chad Warner, 23 (left), was all smiles with partner Alice Hughes (right), who showed off her bust.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/1724955840_595_Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpeg.webp)
Swans’ Chad Warner, 23 (left), was all smiles with partner Alice Hughes (right), who showed off her bust.
![Magpies star Nick Daicos and girlfriend Arlette are a loved-up couple leading the line-up of football stars at the 2024 AFL Awards 35 Giants player Lachie Whitfield, 30 (right) and his girlfriend Adelle Beckwith (left) also made an appearance.](https://whatsnew2day.com/wp-content/uploads/cwv-webp-images/2024/08/1724955844_212_Magpies-star-Nick-Daicos-and-girlfriend-Arlette-are-a-loved-up.jpeg.webp)
Giants player Lachie Whitfield, 30 (right) and his girlfriend Adelle Beckwith (left) also made an appearance.