Essendon coach Brad Scott says Nick Daicos could be the best young player since Chris Judd after the Collingwood star sunk the Bombers in an Anzac Day classic.
Daicos, in just his 31st game, was awarded the Anzac Day Medal for his 40-possession, two-goal outing in front of a record crowd at the MCG.
The 20-year-old is always prolific but his final-quarter performance, when he pushed forward to kick both of his goals, is likely to be recalled fondly for the remainder of his already glittering career.
Scott said Daicos went from the "18th-ranked player at three-quarter-time to the first or second by the end".
After the Bombers' heartbreaking 13-point defeat, the coach was quizzed about Daicos and how he compares to Judd at the start of the West Coast legend's career.
In a game against Scott's intimidating Brisbane Lions team in 2003, a 19-year-old Judd tore apart the dual reigning premiers with five goals in a half.
Judd went on to claim a Brownlow Medal a year later, in his third season.
Daicos is on track to claim that honour 12 months earlier; he is already the bookies' favourite to take out the AFL's top individual award.
"It's hard to think of (a better young player since Judd)," Scott said when asked about comparisons between the two.
"He's (Daicos) just a very special player who is doing things that someone who's been in the system for 10 years, can't do
"We all knew this coming through. We all watched him as a junior (player)."
"As good as Nick is, Josh (Daicos) is probably sitting there enjoying this because no one takes much notice of him and he's a very good player, too.
"The father-son rule has worked for a few clubs over the journey. It's a really good rule.
"Will Ashcroft's the same at Brisbane. He just looks like a generational player.
"He's having a huge influence and teams have tried different things to try and curtail it.
"As good as he was in the first three quarters, it's a nice luxury to be able to throw him in the middle and kick two goals in the last quarter."
Rather than rue losing after being 28 points up at three-quarter-time, Scott was measured about Essendon's performance.
The Bombers, who finished 15th last season and sacked Ben Rutten as coach, sit fourth on the ladder with a 4-2 record ahead of a four-game stretch that could define their finals credentials.
Essendon face resurgent reigning premiers Geelong on Sunday, before matches against Port Adelaide (away), Brisbane Lions (away) and Richmond.
