Nick Davis (footballer)
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| Personal Info | |
|---|---|
| Birth | 30 March 1980, |
| Recruited from | St George (SAFL), NSW-ACT U18 |
| Height/Weight | 184cm / 81kg |
| Playing Career¹ | |
| Debut | Round 1, 28 March 1999, Collingwood vs. Hawthorn, at MCG |
| Team(s) | Collingwood (1999-2002)
71 games, 85 goals Sydney Swans (2003-) 59 games, 91 goals |
| ¹ Statistics to end of 2005 season | |
| Career Highlights | |
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Nick Davis (born March 30, 1980) is a native NSW Australian rules football player with the Sydney Swans of the AFL.
Contents |
[edit] Early career - Collingwood
Raised in Sydney, Davis was drafted by Collingwood, the club where his father Craig played 102 of his 163 VFL/AFL games, with a father-son pick in the 1998 AFL Draft. Davis was never comfortable living under the microscope at Victoria Park, where the expectations placed upon him were magnified by the spectre of his father's courageous attitude to the game and triumph over adversity, combined with the Magpie fans' insatiable desire for success.
After 16 games in his debut season, a homesick Davis fled back to Sydney after just two days of his second pre-season campaign. It took two weeks for him to regain enough composure to return to Melbourne.
At the end of his two-year contract, Davis re-signed and rewarded the club's faith with a solid year, kicking 36 goals in 21 games. But after an injury-riddled pre-season in 2002 and some indifferent performances early in the year, pressure mounted on Davis to re-sign with the Magpies. He said he wanted to wait until the end of the season, a decision that didn't go down well with the Magpie hierarchy.
After playing 20 games – including a cracker against Adelaide in the preliminary final win that steered Collingwood into the 2002 Grand Final – Davis told the Magpies he wanted to go home. A last-minute trade – a bargain that cost the Swans just a second round pick in the 2002 draft – paved the way for Davis to move home.
[edit] Sydney career
He hit the ground running in 2003 with 32 goals in 24 appearances before injuries again interceded in 2004; first hip, then ankle. The rigours of rehabilitating an injured ankle quickly eroded Davis's desire to play footy. For two days in June 2004, the club did not know of his whereabouts and when he did return, he was having serious thoughts about shifting to rugby league.
Davis's enthusiasm eventually returned and, although he showed glimpses of his best (like the three impressive goals in the round 21 win over the Bombers at Telstra Stadium), he carried the remnants of the hip and ankle injuries through the year.
[edit] 2005 - Realising potential
Despite a three-week stint on the sidelines with a hamstring strain mid-year, Davis's form continually improved throughout 2005. He was rewarded for his superior fitness with the occasional run through the midfield, while 12 of his 31 goals for the season came in the final month.
[edit] 2005 Semi-Final
His 4 goal heroics during the final quarter of the 2005 second semi-final at the SCG against Geelong will be long remembered amongst fans and players alike.
The Swans – to all intents and purposes – were gone at three-quarter time. They'd been beaten to the ball for most of the night by a hungry and desperate Geelong side that entered the match as a massive underdog.
In a low-scoring slog, the Cats' 17-point lead looked imposing. And when David Johnson – Davis's direct opponent – kicked the first goal of the last quarter, the margin suddenly looked insurmountable. Immediately after this fellow teammate Brett Kirk rushed over to Davis to let him know that he had to account for his mistake that had put his team further behind.
The nature of the game meant that forwards Barry Hall and Michael O'Loughlin were provided with little space to operate and few clean marking opportunities.
In the ensuing 20 minutes, two terrific snaps and a set-shot after cleverly working Cats defender Tom Harley under the footy to take a terrific mark had Sydney back within a kick.
Time looked set to rob the Swans of a preliminary final date with St Kilda at the MCG when the ball was bounced about 20 metres from the Swans' goal with 10 seconds remaining.
Davis collected the tap of ruckman Jason Ball but did not have time to take a clean possession. And to make matters worse, he was on the wrong side of the goal for a right-footer. Without a second thought, he transitioned the ball to his left boot and put it through. The "Miracle Kick of St. Nick" was the match winner with just 3 seconds remaining. The goal which gave the Sydney Swans their only lead of the game sent the crowd at the SCG into an absolute frenzy and will be probably be one of the greatest ever finals games played for years to come.
[edit] Premiership win
The Swans went into the preliminary final against the Saints the next week and won thanks to an amazing last-quarter burst, and won the AFL Grand Final the following week. If it wasn't for Davis's heroics in the Semi-Final, say many Sydney fans, they would never have made it to a flag. Davis has since picked up the tag of 'bloody Nick Davis' but for many Sydney Swans faithful he remains a legend forever.
