AFL boss Gillon McLachlan joked at a pre-game function that a Collingwood supporter told him Nick Daicos's return was bigger than Jesus.
The young superstar only missed six weeks with a knee injury but Daicos's absence felt like an eternity for the Magpies' faithful.
After starting on the bench, Daicos ran onto the MCG for the first time since August 5 to the roar of more than 90,000 Magpies supporters.
His vibe is similar to Indian cricket supporters cheering Virat Kohli's every run, or Argentine football fans going wild for Lionel Messi.
Daicos's first game back wasn't quite like Ben Cousins dominating with 38 possessions on return in 2007, or Jonathan Brown torching Essendon in 2005 with eight goals.
But the 20-year-old being out there for the Pies in a preliminary final was always going to be a huge boost regardless of how he played.
Daicos played everywhere against GWS on Friday night.
He started at half-forward, began the second term in the midfield and spent extended periods there, but also went to half-back, the position he made his own when he was last year's unanimous Rising Star to immediately stamp his mark on the AFL.
"We just wanted the game to settle in a little bit," Magpies coach Craig McRae said.
"We just wanted to put Nick where we thought we needed him and we're conscious of he hasn't played for a long time and allow him to play to his strengths.
"We could afford a bit of mid(field time) and then we move into halfback to get some run and carry that.
"I've got a feeling he's gonna get better."
Daicos finished with 28 possessions and only got better the longer the game went on but the rust was understandably there.
His checkside snap at goal in the second quarter definitely would have gone through the middle early in the season.
But Daicos's woes summed up where Collingwood were at in the second quarter as they struggled to contain the Giants' orange tsunami.
Luckily for Collingwood, fellow star midfielder Jordan De Goey stepped up with a best-on-ground display, finishing with 34 possessions and 13 clearances to steer the Magpies to a thrilling one-point win.
But there's no reason to think Daicos won't be one of the most influential players on the ground in next week's grand final.
