Why Pickett belongs in conversations with Daicos and Bontempelli

The Melbourne Demons have surprised many across the opening eight weeks of 2026, with much of their success credited to the almighty lift from Kysaiah Pickett.

Formerly one of the game’s premium small forwards, Pickett has migrated into a full-time midfielder, and the Dees are reaping the benefits exponentially.

With a run-and-gun style of play under coach Steven King, Pickett has excelled over this season, proving dynamic all over the ground with career-high disposal numbers and incredibly high influence with ball in hand.

Round 8 proved a major challenge for Pickett, facing up against the game’s best tagger in Sydney’s James Jordon, and while his possession tally may have been down from his average, Champion Data’s Corey Mobilio believes his ability to overcome the tag elevated Kozzy into conversations with the game’s elite.

“We walked away from Sunday thinking this guy has gone to a different level now,” Mobilio told SEN Breakfast.

“It’s an obvious thing to say, but you look at Sunday – that was a proper acid test, getting tagged. In the past with Kozzy, he might have got a little bit fizzy or not really handled the tag well in the past.

“He walked away from that contest thinking that he is in the conversation with Nick Daicos, Marcus Bontempelli, Zak Butters, Isaac Heeney – you’ve got to throw Pickett into the stars of the competition.

“Everyone will go to that disposal number; he had 22 disposals, they might think James Jordon did his role, which to a certain degree he did.

“But it was the damage that Kozzy still had with ball in hand. He finished with eight clearances, 10 score involvements and two goals. He was the number one player on the ground.

“You look at his last six weeks, number one rated player in the competition. He has been a top three rated player on the ground in five of his last six matches.

“Add more admiration for him coming off the back of Sunday – he has just gone to a completely different level now.”

Breakfast co-hosts Garry Lyon and Tim Watson believe that the data is a credit to the growth of Pickett both in ability and maturity.

“Would he have been able to fight his way back that way 12 or 24 months ago?” Watson questioned.

Lyon: “No, I don’t think so.”

Watson: “It’s a different level of maturity he has reached now.”

Lyon: “I think it’s a really good point. That gives you an indication, and that comes with more time through the middle of the ground and having to deal with the various things, but also to know that you’ve got a full ground to work in.

“Sometimes as a small forward, you’re getting sat on and you’re getting beaten, you’ve only got a very limited area to be able to lose a tag or take him into traffic. He is now using a whole ground.

“I think that’s a nice observation.”

Pickett and the Demons take on West Coast this Sunday arvo to remain within touching distance of the top six.